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District  of  New  York. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER   I. 

DODDRIDGE'S  ANCESTRY  AND  EARLY  YEARS. 

His  grandfather  and  father — His  mother  the  orphan  daughter  of  a 
Bohemian  refugee— Rev.  John  Baurnann — His  flight  to  England 
— Beautiful  incident  of  his  childhood — His  grammar-school  train 
ing—Early  loss  of  both  parents — Attendance  at  school  in  St. 
Albans— Profession  of  religion — Resolves  to  study  for  the  min 
istry—Serious  obstacle  interposed— Declines  the  offer  of  a  uni 
versity  education — Dr.  Calamy's  advice — Proposal  to  study  law — 
Generous  assistance  of  Dr.  Clarke  of  St.  Albans— Remarks  of  Rev. 
J.  Stoughton — Doddridge's  acknowledgment 11 

CHAPTER   II. 

DODDRIDGE'S  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES. 

Enters  on  theological  studies  at  Dr.  Jennings'  academy — Method  of 
reading  and  study  at  Kibworth — Letter  to  Rev.  Samuel  Clarke — 
To  Mr.  Hughes— Great  regard  to  the  Scriptures — Rules  for  his 
conduct — Social  temper — Remarks  of  Mrs.  Doddridge — His  first 
sermon — Social  position  and  theological  training — Description 
of  his  study— First  pulpit  performances — Examination  of  stu 
dents — His  gentlemanly  bearing  and  reciprocation  of  kindness — 
Pious  reflections —School  expenses — Examination  for  licensure 
— Habit  of  strict  economy — His  gown  —  Dr.  Samuel  Clarke's 
advice — Grateful  acknowledgments  to  Dr.  Clarke — His  abode 
near  Kibworth — Farm-house  life — Want  of  congenial  society — 
Longing  for  his  sister's  recovery  and  society — Letter  to  Mr.  Da 
vid  Some — Account  of  his  studies — Foundation  of  the  Family 
Expositor — Remarks  on  the  method  of  studying — Observations 
on  Baxter — Rules  for  ministerial  duties  at  Kibworth  —  A  gentle 
reproof — Pope's  Homer's  Iliad  —  Remarkable  deliverance — De 
tails  of  classical  studies— Pliny's  Epistles— Laconic  letter  to 
Dr.  N.  Wood— Expressions  of  ardent  friendship  —  Remarks  on 
Pliny  and  Addison  —  Daily  labors  and  pleasures  as  a  student 


4  CONTENTS. 

—  A  striking  characteristic  —  The  vanity  of  human  desires — 
Dependence  on  divine  influence  —  Desires  to  learn  every  new 
phase  of  infidelity — Burnet's  History  of  the  Reformat]  on— Criti 
cism  on  a  sermon  desired — Burnet,  Lucretius,  and  Howe — Reflec 
tions  on  the  death  of  Mr.  Some — Complaint  of  his  own  pride — 
Rev.  Thomas  Saunders — Proposal  to  become  an  academical  in 
structor —  Letter  to  Miss  Horseman— Correspondence  with  Mr. 
Whittingham  on  the  Deistical  Question — Mr.  Jennings'  method 
of  education — Habits  as  a  preacher — Conscientiousness  in  mak 
ing  the  most  of  time-- -- 22 

CHAPTER  III. 

INSTITUTION  OF  DODDRIDGE'S  THEOLOGICAL 
ACADEMY —EARLY  PASTORATE  AT  NORTH 
AMPTON. 

Death  of  Dr.  Jennings — Letter  of  Dr.  Isaac  Watts  in  favor  of  Dod- 
dridge — His  appointment — Correspondence — Letter  of  accept 
ance — Removal  to  Northampton — Days  of  special  devotion — His 
ordination  and  installation — Letter  to  Miss  King — Domestic  life 
— His  marriage  to  Miss  Mercy  Maris— Letter  to  Dr.  Watts — 
Letters  illustrating  his  paternal  tenderness — Death  of  his  eldest 
child — Letters  to  Mrs.  Doddridge — Persecution  of  Doddridge — 
His  visit  to  Cambridge — Complimentary  letter  of  Dr.  Warburton 
— Favorable  reception  by  a  synod  at  Exeter — Solicitude  for  his 
wife's  recovery — His  devotional  feelings — A  communion  Sabbath 
— Thoughts  on  the  anniversary  of  his  birth  —  Birthday  letter 
to  Miss  Doddridge — Kind  counsels — His  tenderness  as  a  husband 
— Education  of  his  children — Demeanor  towards  his  servants — 
His  character  as  a  friend — Honor  bestowed  on  him  by  his  friends 
— Methods  in  which  his  friendship  was  displayed — Letters  illus 
trative  of  friendship — His  conversational  powers — Dr.  Abraham 
Taylor — Doddridge' s  happy  administration  of  reproof 113 

CHAPTER IY. 

DODDRIDGE'S  MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON. 

Northampton  a  sort  of  Mecca — Doddridge  visits  the  families  of  his 
congregation — Pulpit  preparation— Favorite  topics— Wide  range 
of  subjects— Popularity  and  usefulness  accounted  for— His  excel 
lent  temper — Derives  lessons  from  the  providence  of  God — Be 
fore  sermon  expounds  a  portion  of  Scripture — Affecting  anecdote 
— Composition  of  hymns — Expository  lectures — Sacramental  sea- 


CONTENTS.  5 

sons — Power  as  a  preacher — Faithfulness  in  Christian  discipline 
—Special  care  for  children — Zeal  for  religion  at  home  and  abroad 
— Pastoral  visitation — Case  of  Connell  the  prisoner — His  pastoral 
labors — Mr.  Williams — Letter  of  Mr.  Pearsall  on  the  reputation 
of  Dr.  Doddridge — Appoints  an  eldership — Letter  of  instruction 
— Establishes  a  charity  school — Earnest  self-culture — His  services 
appreciated — Faithful  love  to  his  people — Extract  from  his  last 
will — Letters  presenting  him  as  a  model  pastor — Letter  to  Eev. 
Samuel  Wood — Correspondence  with  Miss  Scott — Her  marriage 
and  death - 188 

CHAPTER  Y. 

DR.  DODDRIDGE'S  ACADEMICAL  AND  THEOLOG 
ICAL  INSTRUCTIONS. 

Prosecution  for  teaching  without  a  license — His  fame  at  court — 
Letters  on  the  prosecution — Method  of  education — The  place  for 
literature  and  science — Courtesy  towards  his  students — Care  that 
they  might  be  good  men — Letters  to  parents — Mr.  Coward  — 
Religious  culture  of  his  students — Secures  their  confidence  and 
affection — Degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity— Letter  to  Dr.  Samuel 
Clarke— Letter  to  Rev.  B.  Fawcett — Trouble  occasioned  by  stu 
dents  who  were  not  pious — His  affection  to  his  students — Model 
of  earnest  and  laborious  diligence — Sketch  from  the  North  Brit 
ish  Review  269 

CHAPTER  VI. 

DODDRIDGE  AS  AN  AUTHOR. 

Diligent  in  pursuit  of  knowledge,  and  apt  in  communicating  it- 
Classical  literature  — Theological  investigations  and  writing— 
"Thoughts  on  the  best  means  of  reviving  the  Dissenting  Inter 
est"— His  published  sermons^-  Favorable  criticisms  — Bishop 
Warburton— "Discourses  on  Regeneration" — West  and  Lyttel- 
ton— Dr.  Watts'  criticisms — John  Foster's  estimate  of  "Rise  and 
Progress  of  Religion  in  the  Soul" — Dr.  Watts'  agency  in  it — Let 
ters  relating  to  this  work— Its  beneficial  influence— Sir  James 
Stonehouse— "  Remarkable  Passages  in  the  Life  of  Col.  James 
Gardiner" — Sketch  from  North  British  Review — Letter  from 
Col.  Gardiner— His  extraordinary  story — Letter  to  David  Gardi 
ner — Letter  from  Lady  Frances  Gardiner— Col.  Gardiner — Thomas 
Gardiner — Letters  on  Doddridge' s  Life  of  Gardiner — "The  Fam 
ily  Expositor" — Its  preparation  and  publication — Its  escape  from 


6  CONTENTS. 

fire — Letter  to  Rev.  S.  Wood — Criticisms — Letters  appreciative  of 
it — Interest  for  the  aborigines  of  America — Archbishop  Leigh- 
ton's  works  —  Hymns  —  Dr.  "Watts'  estimate  of  Doddridge — 
Stoughton's  views - - 317 

CHAPTER  VII. 

PROMINENT  TRAITS  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

I.  Untiring  application  to  the  duties  of  life — Rules  of  life — Review  of  a 
year — Economy  of  time — Large  correspondence — His  method  of 
relaxation.  II.  Candor  and  kindness — Conduct  towards  members 
of  the  Established  church  —  Not  blind  to  the  errors  of  Popery. 

III.  Good  influence  beyond  his  own  congregation — Missionary  spirit — 
Lively  interest  in  the  labors  of  Whiteiield  and  of  Lady  Hunting- 
ton — Letters  of  Lady  Huntington — Account  of  her  in  a  letter  to 
Mr.  Fawcett — Count  Zinzendorf— Aid  to  the  Protestants  of  France. 

IV.  Benevolence,  courtesy,  and  public  spirit — Too  favorable  estimate 
of  others — Free  from  a  covetous  spirit — Liberal  in  his  hospitali 
ties — An  almoner  of  the  rich — Loyalty  and  patriotic  exertions 
in  1745 — Gratuitous  education  of  many — Sympathy  for  persons 
in  adversity.    V.  Exemplary  conduct  under  ill  treatment.    VI.  Humil 
ity  and  dependence  on  God — Favorable  estimate  of  others.    VII.  Pa 
tience,  fortitude,  and  cheerfulness  under  affliction — Sufferings  through 
relatives  and  other  friends.    VIII.  Eminently  devotional  character — 
Spiritual  meditation  —  Efficacy  of  prayer — Days  of  devotion — • 
Devout  social  intercourse — Pious  spirit  of  his  correspondence — 
His  spirituality  even  in  dreams - 386 

CHAPTER   VIII. 

THE  LAST  DAYS  OF  DODDRIDGE. 

His  last  funeral-sermon — Last  administration  of  the  Lord's  supper 
— Last  sermon — Last  public .  service — Sympathy  in  his  illness — 
Hot  Wells  of  Bristol — Kind  reception — Failing  strength — Pro 
posal  of  a  voyage  to  Lisbon — Evidences  of  sympathy — Patience 
and  cheerfulness — His  last  journey — Last  letter  in  England  — 
Embarkation  for  Lisbon  —  Kind  entertainment  there  —  His  last 
hours — His  burial — Monuments — His  personal  appearance — Mr. 
Tayler — Letter  of  Mrs.  Doddridge  to  her  children — Poem  to  his 
memory — President Davies — Dr.  Doddridge's  family — Lines  writ 
ten  in  his  study 439 


IVEBSIT 


THE  Memoirs  of  the  Life,  Character,  and  Writings 
of  Dr.  Doddridge,  presented  in  this  volume,  have 
been  drawn  from  the  five  volumes  of  his  Corre 
spondence  and  diary,  copied  from  his  own  manu 
scripts,  and  first  published  in  London  in  1831 ;  from 
his  life  as  written  by  Orton  and  by  Kippis,  two  of 
his  endeared  students;  from  the  Centenary  Memorial 
prepared  by  the  Rev.  John  Stoughton,  and  partly 
delivered  before  the  Congregational  Union  from 
Doddridge's  own  pulpit  in  1852;  from  a  splendid 
article  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Hamilton  in  the  North 
British  Review,  and  from  other  sources. 

The  wide-spread  and  deserved  reputation  of  Dr. 
Doddridge  as  a  writer  and  as  a  Christian,  especially 
by  means  of  his  "  Family  Expositor,"  and  his  "  Rise 
and  Progress  of  Religion  in  the  Soul,'7  naturally 
awakens  a  desire  to  become  more  acquainted  with 
him  through  his  Correspondence,  in  which,  not  only 
in  the  letters  he  wrote,  but  in  those  addressed  to 
him,  we  discover  those  admirable  qualities  of  mind 
and  heart,  those  high  attainments  and  benevolent 


8  PREFACE. 

activities,  which  made  him  so  generally  respected 
in  life,  so  extensively  honored  at  death,  and  now  so 
gratefully  remembered,  even  after  the  lapse  of  a  cen 
tury. 

The  Letters  found  in  this  volume  will  compare 
favorably,  in  point  of  style,  with  those  of  Pope, 
Gray,  and  others  of  about  the  same  period,  while  in 
sentiment  they  commend  themselves  with  surpassing 
interest  to  the  pious  and  thoughtful  mind.  They  are 
given  as  choice  selections  from  the  mass  of  Dod- 
dridge's  Correspondence,  which  constitutes  the  great 
er  part  of  the  five  large  volumes  above  noticed, 
edited  by  his  great-grandson  John  Doddridge  Hum 
phreys,  Esq. ;  and  they  are  here  inserted  in  such  con 
nections  as  render  them  illustrative  and  commemo 
rative  of  the  public  and  private  life,  opinions,  and 
character  of  the  distinguished  and  excellent  author. 
Among  his  correspondents  were  several  gentlemen 
of  high  rank  in  social,  literary,  and  theological  cir 
cles,  and  some  talented  and  estimable  ladies,  whose 
letters  will  be  read  with  great  satisfaction. 

The  view  which  this  Correspondence  gives  of  the 
Christian  household,  as  illustrated  in  the  home  of 
Doddridge,  is  calculated  to  elevate  the  aims,  purify 
the  life,  and  promote  the  happiness  of  those  who 
would  enjoy  the  highest  blessings  of  the  family 
circle;  the  light  which  it  throws  upon  his  pro- 


PREFACE.  9 

fessional  character  as  a  theological  instructor,  and 
as  a  pastor,  must  interest  those  fulfilling  the  duties 
of  these  stations,  or  who  have  them  in  prospect; 
while  the  happy  illustrations  of  religious  character 
and  experience  are  adapted  to  profit  all  classes  of 
persons:  to  comfort  the  afflicted,  to  guide  the  per 
plexed,  to  animate  the  negligent  or  desponding,  and 
assist  all  in  fulfilling  the  responsibilities  of  life,  and 
preparing  for  the  heavenly  state.  The  letters  of 
sympathy  addressed  to  Dr.  Doddridge  and  his  lady 
in  the  trying  season  preceding  his  death,  when  ex 
treme  anxiety  pervaded  the  hearts  of  God's  people 
in  city  and  country,  are  among  the  most  touching  to 
be  found  in  the  annals  of  friendship. 

The  influence  of  Dr.  Doddridge,  like  that  of  Dr. 
Watts,  in  promoting  the  great  revival  of  the  work  of 
God  towards  the  middle  of  the  last  century,  in  which 
Whitefield  and  others  bore  so  conspicuous  a  part, 
will  here  be  seen  to  have  been  great  and  salutary,  in 
the  calm  evangelical  light  which,  in  a  period  of  pro 
found  spiritual  darkness,  God  enabled  him  to  spread 
far  and  wide  by  his  publications,  his  theological  in 
structions,  his  correspondence,  his  personal  influence 
as  a  pastor  and  counsellor,  and  his  bright  and  holy 
example. 

It  is  a  curious  fact  that  of  almost  all  his  Corre 
spondence,  he  kept  an  accurate  copy  in  shorthand, 


10  PREFACE. 

filling  three  manuscript  volumes,  from  which  the 
five  London  volumes  above  referred  to  are  printed. 
From  these  and  other  voluminous  materials  exam 
ined,  only  those  select  and  condensed  portions  are 
here  givea  which  are  believed  to  be  adapted  to  pub 
lic  and  general  interest  and  usefulness. 

J.  K.  B. 


MEMOIE 


OF 


PHILIP  DODDRIDGE,  D.  D. 


CHAPTER   I. 

HIS  ANCESTRY  AND  EARLY  YEARS. 

AT  a  remote  period,  the  Doddridge  family  occupied 
a  prominent  position  in  Devonshire.  Sir  John  Dod 
dridge  distinguished  himself  by  his  learning,  his  abil 
ity  as  a  jurist,  and  as  an  author,  and  occupied  with 
credit  the  high  positions  to  which  he  was  elevated  by 
James  the  First.  The  nephew  and  heir  of  this  gen 
tleman,  and  bearing  the  same  name,  was  Recorder  of 
the  ancient  city  of  Bristol,  and  for  many  years  a 
prominent  member  of  the  Long  Parliament.  His 
cousin,  the  Rev.  John  Doddridge  of  Shepperton,  in 
Middlesex,  a  learned  and  acceptable  preacher,  vol 
untarily  deprived  himself  and  his  large  family  of  a 
living  worth  about  two  hundred  pounds  a  year, 
equivalent  to  more  than  twice  that  amount  at  the 
present  day,  rather  than  submit  to  the  tyrannical 


12  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

requisitions  of  the  Act  of  Uniformity,  in  1662.  An 
enlightened  conscience,  and  not  sordid  interest,  was 
his  guide.  This  worthy  man  had  only  two  sons  who 
survived  him,  Daniel  and  Philip :  the  latter  was  bred 
to  the  legal  profession ;  the  former  became  a  merchant, 
and  acquired  some  property  in  London,  but  deserves 
especially  to  be  mentioned  as  the  father  of  the  dis 
tinguished  subject  of  this  memoir. 

The  mother  of  Philip  Doddridge  was  the  orphan 
daughter  of  a  worthy  Bohemian  refugee,  the  Rev. 
John  Baumann,  who  fled  from  Prague  in  consequence 
of  the  persecution  suffered  by  those  who  held  the 
Protestant  faith.  At  the  sacrifice  of  early  associa 
tions,  the  friendships  of  youth,  the  charms  of  his  na 
tive  country,  and  a  considerable  estate  which  he  was 
just  beginning  to  enjoy,  this  young  and  godly  pastor, 
in  the  disguise  of  a  peasant,  on  the  emergency  of  the 
moment,  was  compelled  to  leave  his  home,  with  no 
other  means  of  travel  and  of  subsistence  than  a  hun 
dred  pieces  of  gold,  stitched  into  a  leathern  girdle 
for  safe  keeping.  Besides  this-  sum  of  money,  the 
only  possession  which  he  could  carry  with  him,  and 
which  he  valued  above  all  things,  was  a  copy  of  the 
Bible  in  Luther's  translation. 

This  worthy  minister  seems  to  have  been  a  man  of 
uncommonly  profound  habits  of  thought,  rendering 
him  less  careful  than  most  men  of  matters  connected 
with  external  comfort.  We  are  told  that,  on  one  of 
the  first  nights  of  his  journey,  having  slept  at  an  ob 
scure  inn,  and  rising  very  early  to  pursue  his  way,  in 
the  hurry  of  the  moment  he  forgot  to  buckle  on  the 
belt,  and  remained  unconscious  of  the  loss  until  the 


ANCESTRY  AND  EARLY  YEARS.       13 

shades  of  evening  again  encouraged  him  to  seek  a 
second  place  of  refuge,  when  he  found  himself  with 
out  the  means  of  sustenance,  and  consequently  without 
the  hope  of  escape. 

Even  at  the  peril  of  being  taken  by  his  pursuers 
he  at  once  began  to  retrace,  under  cover  of  the  night, 
his  weary  steps  to  his  last  lodging-place,  where  he 
learned  from  the  domestic  servant  that  she,  had  thrown 
the  old  belt  away,  supposing  it  to  be  of  no  value. 
Upon  his  offering  a  reward  she  made  search,  and 
found  it  under  a  staircase  where  useless  articles  were 
ordinarily  thrown.  The  joy  at  its  recovery  inspired 
lasting  gratitude  to  God,  and  greatly  animated  him 
in  his  subsequent  journeys. 

Having  spent  some  time  in  Saxony,  and  in  states 
adjacent,  he  proceeded  to  England  in  1646,  and  be 
came  master  of  the  grammar-school  at  Kingston 
upon  Thames.  In  1688  he  died,  leaving  one  daughter, 
who  subsequently  married  Daniel  Doddridge,  the  Lon 
don  shopkeeper  before  referred  to,  and  became  the 
honored  mother  of  Philip  Doddridge. 

It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  the  German  Bible,  the 
companion  and  solace  of  Pastor  Baumann's  exile,  is 
still  preserved  in  the  Doddridge  family,  forming  two 
volumes  in  black  morocco,  deeply  indented  with  gilt 
ornaments.  Upon  the  fly-leaf  of  the  first  volume,  Dr. 
Doddridge  wrote : 

"P.  Doddridge,  1724. 

"These  Bibles  my  honored  grandfather  Mr.  John 
Baumann  brought  with  him  from  Germany  his  native 
country,  when  he  fled  on  foot  from  the  persecution 
there  on  account  of  the  Protestant  religion.  'For 


14  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

he  had  respect  to  the  recompense  of  reward/  Heb. 
11 :  26.  '  The  law  of  thy  mouth  is  better  to  me  than 
thousands  of  gold  and  silver.7  Psa.  119:72.  'Be 
ye  followers  of  them  who  through  faith  and  patience 
inherit  the  promises.7  Heb.  6 : 12." 

The  day  of  the  birth  of  Philip  Doddridge,  which 
occurred  in^  London  on  June  26,  1702,  seemed  for  a 
while  likely  to  prove  also  the  day  of  his  death;  for 
the  evidences  of  animation  were  so  slight,  and  the 
anxious  care  which  the  mother  required  was  so  ab 
sorbing,  that  the  infant  was  laid  aside  as  dead ;  but, 
soon  afterwards,  one  of  the  attendants  was  providen 
tially  led  to  a  closer  examination,  when  a  very  slight 
heaving  of  the  chest  being  observed,  efforts  at  resus 
citation  were  earnestly  pursued ;  and  thus  was  saved 
to  the  world  a  life  which  proved  of  incalculable 
value. 

He  was  his  mother's  twentieth  child,  all  the  others 
but  one,  and  that  a  feeble  daughter,  having  died 
early.  Raised  himself  as  from  the  grave,  and  ex 
pected,  probably,  to  add  another  at  no  distant  day  to 
the  sad  instances  of  early  death  in  the  family,  this 
only  son  was  naturally  regarded  by  his  pious  parents 
with  especial  solicitude  and  love.  We  are  therefore 
not  surprised  to  learn  that  he  was  most  carefully 
trained  up  in  the  knowledge  and  service  of  Christ. 
Dr.  Doddridge,  in  one  of  his  letters,  thus  relates  this 
beautiful  incident  connected  with  the  period  of  his 
childhood :  "  I  was  brought  up  in  the  early  knowledge 
of  religion  by  my  pious  parents,  who  were  in  their 
character  very  worthy  of  their  birth  and  education; 


ANCESTRY  AND  EARLY  YEARS.      15 

and  I  well  remember  that  my  mother  taught  me  the 
history  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  before  I  could 
read,  by  the  assistance  of  some  blue  Dutch  tiles  in 
the  chimney-place  of  the  room  where  we  commonly 
sat ;  and  the  wise  and  pious  reflections  she  made 
upon  these  stories  were  the  means  of  enforcing  such 
good  impressions  on  my  heart  as  never  afterwards 
wore  out." 

A  valuable  lesson  of  maternal  wisdom  and  affec 
tion  is  conveyed  in  this  incident ;  and  with  gratitude 
should  it  be  considered  that  the  means  of  interesting 
and  of  instructing  childhood  in  recent  years  are  im 
measurably  superior  to  these  rude  pictures,  which 
proved  so  serviceable  in  the  case  of  young  Philip 
Doddridge. 

Having  gained  an  elementary  knowledge  of  the 
learned  languages  at  the  private  school  of  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Scott,  a  pious  minister  in  London,  he  was  sent,  at 
the  age  of  ten,  in  1712,  to  the  grammar-school  at 
Kingston  upon  Thames,  formerly  under  the  charge  of 
his  grandfather  Baumann.  Here,  in  the  formation  of 
his  character,  and  in  the  confirmation  of  the  religious 
impressions  received  under  the  paternal  roof,  he  was 
greatly  indebted  to  the  kind  regard  and  pious  coun 
sels  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Mayo,  whose  ministry  he  at 
tended. 

Having  been  connected  with  the  school  in  Kings 
ton  only  three  years,  his  filial  love  was  severely  tried 
by  the  death  of  his  worthy  father.  The  reflections 
which  he  placed  on  record  at  the  time,  show  the  res 
ignation  with  which  the  trial  was  endured  :  "  God  is 
an  immortal  Father;  my  soul  rejoiceth  in  him:  he 


16  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

has  hitherto  helped  me  and  provided  for  me ;  may  it 
be  my  study  to  approve  myself  a  more  affectionate, 
grateful,  and  dutiful  child." 

Great  as  was  this  affliction,  he  was  soon  called  to 
one  greater — the  loss  of  his  truly  excellent  mother. 
One  of  Dr.  Doddridge's  sermons,  entitled  "The  Or 
phan's  Hope,"  contains  a  touching  allusion  to  this 
event:  "I  am  under  some  peculiar  obligations  to  de 
sire  and  attempt  the  relief  of  orphans ;  as  I  know  the 
heart  of  an  orphan,  having  been  deprived  of  both  my 
parents  at  an  age  in  which  it  might  be  reasonably 
supposed  that  a  child  would  be  most  sensible  of  such 
a  loss." 

The  orphan  boy  was  soon  removed  to  St.  Albans, 
twenty  miles  north  of  London,  where  he  attended  the 
private  school  of  the  learned  and  pious  Nathaniel 
Wood,  some  of  whose  letters  will  be  found  in  the 
present  work.  While  connected  with  this  school, 
his  conduct  and  attainments  deserve  honorable  men 
tion.  Not  only  was  he  a  close  student,  but  he  took 
delight  in  assisting  other  students  whose  advantages 
were  inferior  to  his  own;  he  conversed  with  them  on 
religious  subjects,  and  encouraged  social  meetings  for 
prayer ;  and  his  walks  for  exercise  were  turned  to  a 
benevolent  and  pious  account.  Often  did  he  call  at 
the  cottages  of  the  poor,  that  he  might  read  to  them 
the  Scriptures  and  other  religious  books,  and  con 
tribute,  from  his  slender  funds,  to  the  supply  of  their 
temporal  necessities.  Thus  early  did  he  lay  the 
foundation  of  those  habits  of  practical  usefulness  to 
which  his  professional  life  was  so  ardently  devoted. 

It  was  among   the  richest  blessings  of  his  lot, 


ANCESTRY  AND  EARLY  YEARS.       17 

while  at  St.  Albans,  that  he  made  the  acquaintance, 
and  gained  the  affectionate  esteem,  of  the  Rev.  Sam 
uel  Clarke,  the  well-known  author  of  "Scripture 
Promises,"  whose  ministry  he  regularly  attended, 
with  great  practical  benefit. 

When  sixteen  years  of  age,  Philip  Doddridge  was 
received  into  the  church,  of  which  event,  and  of  the 
exercises  of  his  mind  at  the  time,  his  own  interesting 
record  has  been  preserved. 

"I  rose  early  this  morning,  and  read  that  part  of 
Mr.  Henry's  book  on  the  Lord's  supper  which  treats 
of  a  due  approach  to  it.  I  endeavored  to  excite  in 
myself  those  dispositions  and  affections  which  he  men 
tions  as  proper  for  that  ordinance.  As  I  endeavored 
to  prepare  my  heart  according  to  the  preparation  of 
the  sanctuary,  though  with  many  defects,  God  was 
pleased  to  visit  me,  and  to  give  me  sweet  communion 
with  himself,  of  which  I  desire  always  to  retain  a 
grateful  sense.  I  this  day,  in  the  strength  of  Christ, 
renewed  my  covenant  with  God,  and  renounced  my 
covenant  with  sin.  I  vowed  against  every  sin,  and 
resolved  carefully  to  perform  every  duty.  The  Lord 
keep  this  in  the  imagination  of  my  heart,  and  grant  I 
may  not  deal  treacherously  with  him. 

"In  the  evening  I  read  and  thought  on  some  of  Mr. 
Henry's  directions  for  a  suitable  conversation  after 
the  Lord's  supper,  and  then  prayed,  begging  that 
God  would  give  me  grace  so  to  act  as  he  requires, 
and  as  I  have  bound  myself.  I  then  looked  over  the* 
memorandums  of  this  day,  comparing  the  manner  in 
which  I  had  spent  it,  and  in  which  I  designed  to 
spend  it;  and,  blessed  be  God,  I  had  reason  to  do  it 


18  PHILIP  DODDIUDGE. 

with  some  pleasure,  although  I  found  cause  for  hu 
miliation."  '•'•&* 

Soon  after  making  this  public  profession  of  relig 
ion,  he  resolved  to  devote  himself  to  the  service  of 
God  in  the  work  of  the  Christian  ministry,  in  the 
prosecution  of  which  design  he  bestowed  unusual  care 
upon  the  study  of  the  learned  languages,  and  wrote 
comments  on  a  portion  of  Scripture  every  morning 
and  evening.  He  also  committed  to  writing  an 
abstract  of  every  sermon  which  he  heard,  and  added 
reflections  of  his  own. 

Not  far  had  he  proceeded  in  this  course  of  prepa 
ration  for  the  ministry,  when  Providence  seemed  to 
interpose  an  insurmountable  obstacle.  The  property 
left  to  him  by  his  parents  was  utterly  lost  by  the 
failure  of  an  unfaithful  guardian,  so  that  he  found 
himself  without  the  means  of  prosecuting  his  studies. 
It  was  a  severe  disappointment,  but  years  afterward 
he  regarded  it  as  one  of  the  most  beneficent  arrange 
ments  of  Providence  for  his  spiritual  well-being  and 
usefulness.  To  provide  for  this  emergency  he  went 
to  London,  that  he  might  consult  with  his  brother-in- 
law,  the  Rev.  John  Nettleton,  and  with  Mrs.  N , 

his  beloved  sister.  The  Duchess  of  Bedford  in  some 
way  becoming  acquainted  with  the  young  man's  em 
barrassments,  made  him,  while  in  the  city,  the  liberal 
offer  to  educate  him  at  either  of  the  Universities, 
provided  he  would  leave  the  Dissenters,  and  connect 
himself  with  the  Established  church.  .To  a  youth 
ardently  devoted  to  learning,  and  singularly  apt  in 
its  acquisition,  the  trial  was  great,  as  his  conscience 
forbade  his  subscription  to  all  the  articles  and  for- 


ANCESTRY  AND  EARLY  YEARS.       19 

nmlaries  he  would  be  required  to  adopt.  Over  a 
regard  to  ease,  to  honor,  and  to  wealth,  his  conscien 
tiousness  prevailed.  He  resolved  to  struggle  with 
all  the  difficulties  of  the  case,  entertaining  the  hope 
that  he  might  meet  with  encouragement  from  some 
of  his  dissenting  brethren.  One  of  the  most  eminent 
of  that  class  of  ministers  was  applied  to  for  aid. 
The  response  was  sufficiently  discouraging.  "  I  wait 
ed,"  says  the  modest  youth,  "upon  Dr.  Edmund 
Calamy,  to  beg  his  advice  and  assistance,  that  I 
might  be  brought  up  a  minister,  which  has  always 
been  my  great  desire.  He  gave  me  no  encourage 
ment  in  it,  but  advised  me  to  turn  my  thoughts  to 
something  else.  It  was  with  great  concern  that  I 
received  such  advice;  but  I  desire  to  follow  provi 
dence,  and  not  to  force  it.  The  Lord  give  me  grace 
to  glorify  him  in  whatever  station  he  sets  me :  then 
here  am  I ;  let  him  do  with  me  what  seemeth  good  in 
his  sight." 

It  is  possible  that  the  discouragement  of  his  design 
by  Dr.  Calamy  may  have  proceeded  from  a  view  of 
the  great  delicacy  of  young  Doddridge's  constitution, 
"  which  at  this  period  was  evinced  by  a  tall  and  sin 
gularly  slender  form,  combined  with  that  languid 
fulness  of  the  eye,  and  mantling  flush  upon  the  cheek, 
which  are  too  frequently  the  heralds  of  premature 
dissolution."  In  consequence  of  the  discouragement 
now  incurred,  he  turned  his  attention  to  the  study  of 
the  law,  having  received  a  lucrative  proposal  from  a 
celebrated  counsellor  in  London. 

Here  again  was  offered  a  strong  inducement  to 
turn  aside  from  his  long  cherished  design  of  becom- 


20  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

ing  a  humble  minister  of  the  gospel.  Wealth  and 
honor  beckoned  him  on  in  the  new  path  thus  unex 
pectedly  opened  to  his  ardent  mind.  But  to  this 
new  impulse  he  did  not  hastily  commit  himself;  he 
sought  counsel  of  God,  and  of  an  enlightened  con 
science.  One  of  his  letters  relates  to  the  interesting 
result : 

"Before  I  returned  my  final  answer,  I  took  one 
morning  solemnly  to  seek  of  God  direction;  and  so 
it  was,  that  even  while  I  was  thus  engaged,  the  post 
man  called  at  the  door  with  a  letter  from  Mr.  Clarke, 
in  which  he  told  me  that  he  had  heard  of  my  diffi 
culty,  and  offered  to  take  me  under  his  care,  if  I 
chose  the  ministry  upon  Christian  principles,  and 
there  were  no  other  that  in  those  circumstances  could 
invite  me  to  such  a  choice.  This  I  looked  upon 
almost  as  an  answer  from  heaven;  and  while  I  live 
I  shall  ever  adore  so  seasonable  an  interposition  of 
divine  Providence." 

This  generous  provision  was  offered  by  his  be 
loved  pastor  at  St.  Albans;  in  respect  to  which, 
John  Stoughton,  in  the  discourse  he  delivered  in 
Doddridge's  pulpit  at  Northampton,  a  century  after 
his  death,  very  properly  observes : 

"Next  to  the  honor  of  a  successful  ministry  itself, 
is  the  distinction  of  being  instrumental  in  the  intro 
duction  of  another  to  such  a  course ;  and  the  story  of 
Doddridge  should  be  regarded  as  a  caution  to  the 
masters  of  our  Israel,  not  hastily  to  repress,  in  the 
bosom  of  a  gifted  and  ingenuous  young  man,  aspira 
tions  after  the  holiest  of  all  employments.  What  a 
loss  would  the  church  have  sustained  at  that  critical 


ANCESTRY  AND  EARLY  YEARS.      21 

period,  had  not  Dr.  Calamy's  repulse  been  neutralized 
by  Mr.  Clarke's  encouragement?" 

To  this  good  and  generous  man  Dr.  Doddridge 
in  after-life  often  expressed  his  obligations,  and  at 
length,  in  pronouncing  a  funeral  discourse  upon  him, 
he  observes,  "I  may  properly  call  him  my  friend  and 
father,  if  all  the  offices  of  paternal  tenderness  can 
merit  that  title.  To  him  I  may  truly  say  that,  under 
God,  I  owe  even  myself,  and  all  my  opportunities  of 
public  usefulness  in  the  church — -to  him,  who  was  not 
only  the  instructor  of  my  childhood  and  youth  in  the 
principles  of  religion,  but  my  guardian  when  a  help 
less  orphan,  as  well  as  the  generous,  tender,  faithful 
friend  of  all  my  advancing  years." 


22  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

CHAPTER  II. 

DODDRIDGE'S  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES. 

GRATEFULLY  availing  himself  of  the  timely  offer 
of  his  friend  and  pastor,  the  Rev.  Samuel  Clarke, 
Doddridge  promptly  returned  to  St.  Albans,  where 
he  enjoyed  such  advice,  instructions,  and  use  of  books, 
as  might  best  tend  to  prepare  him  for  his  theological 
course  of  study  at  Kibworth  in  Leicestershire,  at  the 
academy  of  the  celebrated  Rev.  John  Jennings,  author 
of  the  learned  work  on  "The  Antiquities  of  the  Jews," 
highly  esteemed  by  the  ministers  of  that  period.  Of 
that  excellent  academy  he  became  a  member  in  Octo 
ber,  1719. 

The  academies,  of  the  class  conducted  by  Mr.  Jen 
nings,  were  founded  on  the  broad  basis  of  non-sub 
scription  to  denominational  formulas  of  faith,  were 
accessible  to  persons  of  all  religious  parties,  and  were 
resorted  to  even  by  such  of  the  clergy  and  laity  of  the 
Establishment,  as  found  the  universities  too  expensive. 
Chaplains  and  tutors  to  families  of  rank  were  often 
educated  in  these  academies.  No  testimonial  or  qual 
ification  for  entrance  was  demanded,  but  the  evidence 
of  possessing  a  good  moral  character,  and  the  mastery 
of  a  prescribed  amount  of  classical  and  other  prepara 
tory  studies.  It  must  here  be  acknowledged  as  a 
great  evil,  and  goes  far  to  show  the  low  state  of  relig 
ion  at  the  time  when  Doddridge  and  others  were 
raised  up  in  the  providence  of  God  for  its  revival, 
that  even  among  many  of  the  Dissenters  of  England, 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  23 

personal  piety  was  not  then  considered  essential  to 
an  entrance  on  the  duties  of  the  ministry. 

During  his  residence  at  Kibworth  no  one  applied 
himself  with  greater  diligence  to  study,  to  devotion, 
and  to  the  best  improvement  of  time,  than  Philip  Dod- 
dridge.  From  a  paper  in  which  he  kept  an  account 
of  his  pursuits,  it  appears  that,  besides  attending  and 
studying  the  academical  lectures,  and  reading  the 
authors  to  which  his  tutor  referred  in  illustration  of 
his  lectures,  he  read  in  one  half  year  sixty  volumes, 
some  of  them  large,  and  about  an  equal  number  in 
the  same  period  subsequently.  The  manner  in  which 
he  read  deserves  remark :  it  was  not  hasty  and  super 
ficial,  but  with  profound  attention.  Some  volumes  he 
took  pains  to  abridge;  from  others  he  made  large 
extracts  in  his  commonplace-book ;  every  remarkable 
interpretation  or  illustration  of  texts  of  Scripture  he 
transferred  to  his  interleaved  Bible.  At  this  period 
he  devoted  himself  to  a  more  extended  course  of 
Greek  studies,  not  only  reading  the  Greek  authors, 
but  writing  his  own  observations  upon  them,  either 
for  the  illustration  of  the  authors  themselves  or  of  the 
Scriptures,  and  selecting  passages  which  might  with 
advantage  be  introduced  into  his  sermons.  His  ob 
servations  upon  Homer  were  sufficiently  copious  to 
make  a  considerable  volume. 

How  he  was  situated  at  Kibworth,  his  student-life, 
its  employments,  its  joys  and  sorrows,  are  well  de 
scribed  in  the  letters,  or  parts  of  letters,  which  we 
shall  introduce  in  their  appropriate  order.  To  Mr. 
Clarke,  his  early  patron,  and  his  most  trusted  coun 
sellor  in  after-life,  he  made  frequent  reports  of  his 


24  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

studies,  and  of  his  expenditures  and  wants.  In  return 
he  received  valuable  letters  of  counsel,  and  prompt 
attention  was  given  to  his  pecuniary  necessities. 

To  the  Rev.  Samuel  Clarke. 

"January  3,  1721. 

"In  my  last,  sir,  I  sent  you  an  account  of  the 
course  of  our  public  studies  for  this  last  half  year, 
and  you  will  perceive  that  they  are  of  such  a  nature 
as  to  require  a  considerable  exercise  of  thought,  and 
that  the  references  are  generally  long,  and  conse 
quently  that  we  have  less  time  for  our  private  studies 
than  we  ever  had  in  any  of  our  former  half  years ; 
however,  I  generally  find  about  an  hour  and  a  half  in 
a  day  for  the  study  of  the  Scriptures.  The  New  Tes 
tament  I  read  in  the  original  without  any  commenta 
tor,  but  more  of  my  time  is  spent  in  reading  the  Old, 
for  I  would  willingly  finish  'Patrick's  Commentary7 
before  it  is  taken  from  Kilworth,  which  will  be  in  a 
few  months.  I  have  read  all  but  the  second  book  of 
Chronicles,  Ecclesiastes,  and  Canticles ;  and  design 
to  begin  'Lowth  on  Isaiah  and  Jeremiah7  wtten  I 
have  done  with  these,  and  'Dr.  Prideaux's  Connec 
tion,7  which  I  am  now  reading  with  a  particular  view 
to  the  prophecies.  I  do  not  entirely  neglect  the  clas 
sics,  though  I  have  but  little  time  for  them.  Since 
my  last  mention  I  have  read  some  of  Horace,  with 
Dacier7s  Commentary,  and  a  few  of  Tully7s  delightful 
works.  I  am  ashamed  to  think  how  little  I  am 
acquainted  with  the  Greek,  and  heartily  wish  I  had 
been  more  careful  in  studying  it  when  I  was  with  you 
at  St.  Albans.  However,  sir,  that  I  might  not  forget 
the  little  I  know,  besides  the  New  Testament,  which 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  25 

I  mentioned,  I  have  read  some  portions  of  Socrates, 
Homer,  Lucian,  and  Xenophon,  since  last  Whitsun 
tide. 

"In  English,  besides  many  other  works,  I  have 
lately  read  '  Bin-net's  Theory/  which  I  took  up  with 
the  expectation  of  meeting  with  some  new  philosophi 
cal  discovery,  in  which  respect,  indeed,  I  was  sadly 
disappointed.  I  am  now  reading  '  Lord  Shaftesbury's 
Works/  which,  as  far  as  I  can  judge  by  the  half  I 
have  dispatched,  contain  a  strange  mixture  of  good 
sense  and  extravagance. 

"  My  good  tutor  continues  to  treat  me  with  a  great 
deal  of  kindness,  and  lets  no  opportunity  slip  of  oblig 
ing  me  at  home,  or  promoting  my  interest  abroad. 
When  I  am  speaking  of  his  goodness,  I  cannot  forget 
that  I  owe  even  that  to  you,  who  have  placed  and 
supported  me  here.  I  know,  sir,  that  you  do  not  like 
compliments,  and  I  would  never  deal  in  them;  yet 
still  I  hope  you  will  give  me  leave  to  tell  you,  with  a 
great  feeling  of  plainness  and  sincerity,  that  if  I  did 
not  frequently  reflect  upon  the  favors  I  have  received 
from  you,  I  could  not  keep  on  good  terms  with  my 
self.  I  have  nothing  left  to  ask,  but  the  continuance 
of  your  prayers  that  I  may  have  the  wisdom  and 
grace  to  behave  myself,  both  here  and  in  the  after- 
part  of  my  life,  so  that  neither  you  nor  my  other 
friends  may  have  reason  to  repent  the  benefits  you 
have  done  me." 

To  the  same. 

"KiBwoRTH,  Dec.  13,  1721. 

"  I  am  extremely  pleased  to  find  that  you  are  so 
well  satisfied  as  to  my  care  in  managing  my  expenses. 

Doddiidge.  2 


26  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

I  acknowledge,  sir,  that  you  have  always  been  very 
indulgent  to  me  upon  that  head ;  and  I  think  myself 
so  much  the  more  obliged  to  study  frugality,  lest  I 
should  seem  to  abuse  your  goodness  and  the  confi 
dence  which  you  have  in  me.  Besides,  I  know  how 
difficult  it  is  to  obtain  supplies,  and  am  heartily  con 
cerned  to  think  of  the  trouble  you  are  at  on  my 
account ;  and  yet,  notwithstanding  all  my  precaution, 
I  find  my  stock  decreases  apace. 

"  As  for  my  studies,  we  have  almost  finished  Pneu- 
matology  and  Ethics,  and  proceeded  a  good  way  in 
Critics.  These  Critics  are  an  abridgment  of  a  con 
siderable  book  by  Mr.  Jones,  on  such  subjects  as  the 
antiquity  of  the  Hebrew  language,  its  points,  the 
Masora,  Talmud,  and  Cabbala.  We  have  several 
Latin,  French,  and  English  versions  of  the  Bible,  and 
have  continually  large  references  to  Prideaux,  Bux- 
torf,  etc.  Our  Ethics  are  drawn  up  by  Mr.  Jennings 
from  Puffendorf  and  Grotius.  Once  a  week  we  have 
a  pneumatological  disputation,  and  consequently  each 
of  us  makes  in  turn  a  thesis  in  a  month.  We  have 
the  liberty  of  choosing  our  own  subjects;  and  mine 
have  been,  the  seat  of  the  soul,  polygamy,  and  God's 
prescience  of  contingencies ;  and  I  am  now  preparing 
one  in  defence  of  the  soul's  immortality." 

To  Mr.  Hughes. 

<kKlB\VORTH,    1721. 

"  I  think  the  Spectator  somewhere  tells  us  that  no 
music  is  so  sweet  to  a  man  as  his  own  praise:  me- 
thinks  he  should  have  excepted  the  pleasure  that  an 
honest  and  generous  mind  takes  in  hearing  a  friend 
commended.  One  thing  I  can  confidently  affirm,  that 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL   STUDIES.  2f 

though  I  passed  the  holidays  very  pleasantly,  at  least 
some  of  them,  in  the  company  of  a  very  agreeable 
lady — and  you  know  I  was  always  an  admirer  of  the 
sex — yet  nothing  gave  rne  so  much  satisfaction  as  a 
few  minutes'  conversation  with  Mr.  Benyan,  when  the 
discourse  turned  upon  you. 

"  He  told  me,  among  other  things,  that  you  were 
making  yourself  master  of  the  French  language.  I 
am  heartily  glad  to  hear  it,  because  it  will  give  you 
an  opportunity  of  entertaining  yourself  with  some  of 
the  finest  writers  in  the  world.  Many  of  them  had 
certainly  very  great  genius,  and  were  intimately 
acquainted  with  the  ancients,  those  great  masters  of 
eloquence  and  poetry.  Of  all  their  dramatic  poets  I 
have  met  with  none  that  I  admire  so  much  as  Racine. 
It  is  impossible  not  to  be  charmed  with  the  pomp, 
eloquence,  and  harmony  of  his  language,  a&well  as 
the  majesty,  tenderness,  and  propriety  of  his  senti 
ments.  The  whole  is  conducted  with  a  wonderful 
mixture  of  grandeur  and  simplicity,  which  sufficiently 
distinguished  him  from  the  dulness  of  some  tragedi 
ans,  and  the  bombast  of  others.  One  of  his  principal 
faults  is,  that  the  jingle  of  his  double  rhyme  frequently 
offends  the  ear.  I  have  lately  met  with  the  Arch 
bishop  of  Cambray's  Reflections  on  Eloquence,  which 
I  think  one  of  the  most  judicious  pieces  I  have  ever 
seen.  There  are  some  fine  criticisms  at  the  end  of  it, 
which  well  deserve  your  perusal. 

"  As  for  French  sermons,  they  are,  as  far  as  I  can 
judge,  very  much  inferior  to  those  of  our  English 
divines.  Bourdaloue's,  though  much  regarded,  ap 
pear  to  me  little  better  than  empty  harangues.  Che- 


PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

minais'  are  many  of  them  very  good  ;  but  I  never  met 
with  any  that  are  to  be  compared  with  those  of  M. 
Superville,  the  Protestant  divine  at  Rotterdam:  he 
especially  excels  in  the  beauty  of  his  imagery,  descrip 
tions,  and  similes  ;  and  has  some  of  the  most  pathetic 
expostulations  I  ever  read." 

As  a  theological  student,  Mr.  Doddridge  at  this 
period  gave  great  attention  to  the  study  of  the  Scrip 
tures,  and  of  the  best  writers  in  practical  divinity. 
"  He  furnished  himself/7  says  Orton,  "  with  Clarke's 
'Annotations  on  the  Old  Testament/  for  the  sake  of 
many  valuable  interpretations,  a  judicious  collection  of 
parallel  texts,  and  the  convenience  of  a  large  margin 
on  which  to  write  his  own  remarks ;  and  with  an 
interleaved  Testament.  In  these  he  inserted  illustra 
tions  of  Scripture,  which  occurred  to  him  in  reading, 
conversation,  or  reflection;  together  with  practical 
remarks,  which  might  be  drawn  from  particular  pas 
sages,  their  connection  with  others,  or  the  general 
design  of  the  sacred  writers ;  especially  those  which 
might  not,  on  a  cursory  reading,  appear  so  obvious, 
but  on  that  account  might  be  more  striking  and  use 
ful.  He  laid  it  down  as  an  inviolable  rule,  to  read 
some  practical  divinity  every  day.  He  labored  assid 
uously  to  attain  the  gift  of  prayer.  For  this  purpose 
he  made  a  collection  of  proper  expressions  of  suppli 
cation  and  thanksgiving,  on  common  and  special  occa 
sions,  both  from  Scripture  and  devotional  writers,  that 
he  might  be  qualified  to  perform  this  part  of  public 
service  in  a  copious,  pertinent,  and  edifying  manner." 

In  the  cultivation  of  personal  religion,  he  was  pre- 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  29 

eminently  faithful,  assiduous,  and  earnest.  Among 
his  papers  was  discovered  a  solemn  form  of  covenant 
with  God,  written  and  subscribed  with  his  own  hand 
about  this  period,  wherein  he  not  only  states  his  views 
and  resolutions  concerning  the  care  of  his  heart,  and 
the  management  of  his  entire  conduct,  but  devotes 
himself,  his  time,  and  abilities  to  the  service  of  God, 
for  this  life  and  the  life  to  come.  This  covenant  he 
expressed  a  purpose  to  read  over  solemnly,  as  in  the 
presence  of  God,  once  a  month,  to  ascertain  how  faith 
fully  he  had  adhered  to  it,  and  to  refresh  his  recollec 
tions  of  the  various  duties  and  obligations  to  which 
he  had  pledged  himself  therein.  [See  "  Rise  and 
Progress,"  chapter  17.] 

We  have  also,  a  delightful  view  of  this  young 
man's  student-life  and  character,  in  the  rules  which 
he  framed  for  the  regulation  of  his  conduct,  and 
which  he  inscribed  in  his  interleaved  Testament,  for 
the  convenience  of  frequent  review,  and  of  comparison 
with  his  daily  practice. 

RULES  FOR  THE  DIRECTION  OF  MY  CONDUCT 
WHILE  A  STUDENT. 

1.  Let  my  first  thoughts  be  devout  and  thankful. 
Let  me  rise  early,  immediately  return  to  God  solemn 
thanks  for  the  mercies  of  the  night,  devote  myself  to 
him,  and  beg  his  assistance  in  the  intended  business 
of  the  day. 

2.  In  this,  and  every  other  act  of  devotion,  let  me 
recollect  my  thoughts ;  speak  directly  to  Him,  and 
never  give  way  to  any  thing  internal  or  external  that 
may  divert  my  attention. 


30  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

3.  Let  me  set  myself  to  read  the  Scriptures  every 
morning.     In  the  first  reading,  let  me  endeavor  to 
impress  my  heart  with  a  practical  sense  of  divine 
things ;  and  then  use  the  help  of  commentators.     Let 
these  rules,  with  proper  alterations,  be  observed  every 
evening. 

4.  Never  let  me  trifle  with  a  book  with  which  I 
have  no  present  concern.     In  applying  myself  to  any 
work,  let  me  first  recollect  what  I  may  learn  by  it, 
and  then  beg  suitable  assistance  from  God ;  and  let 
me  continually  endeavor  to  make  all  my  studies  sub 
servient  to  practical  religion  and  ministerial  useful 
ness. 

5.  Never  let  me  lose  one  minute  of  time,  nor  incur 
unnecessary  expenses,  that  I  may  have  the  more  to 
spend  for  God. 

6.  When  I  am  called  abroad,  let  me  be  desirous 
of  doing  good,  and  receiving  good.     Let  me  always 
have  in  readiness  some  subject  of  contemplation,  and 
endeavor  to  improve  my  time  with  good  thoughts  as 
I  go  along.    Let  me  endeavor  to  render  myself  agree 
able  and  useful  to  all  about  me  by  a  tender,  compas 
sionate,  friendly  behavior,  avoiding  all  trifling  and 
impertinent  stories,  and  remembering  that  all  impru 
dence  is  sin. 

7.  Let  me  use  moderation  at  meals,  and  see  that  I 
am  not  hypocritical  in  prayers  and  thanksgivings  at 
them. 

8.  Let  me  never  delay  any  thing  unless  I   can 
prove  that  another  time  will  be  more  fit  than  the 
present,  or  that  some  other  more  important  duty  re 
quires  my  attendance. 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  31 

9.  Let  me  be  often  lifting  up  iny  heart  to  God  in 
the  intervals  of  secret  worship,  repeating  those  peti 
tions  which  are  of  the  greatest  importance,  and  a  sur 
render  of  myself  to  his  service. 

10.  Never  let  me  enter  into  long  schemes  about 
future  events,  but  in  general  refer  myself  to  the  divine 
care. 

11.  Let  me  labor  after  habitual  gratitude  and  love 
to  God  and  the  Redeemer.     Let  me  guard  against 
pride,  remembering  that  I  have  all  from  God's  hand, 
and  that  I  have  deserved  the  severest  punishment. 

12.  In  all  my  studies,  let  me  remember  that  the 
souls  of  men  are  immortal,  and  that  Christ  died  to 
redeem  them. 

13.  Let  me  consecrate  my  sleep  and  all  my  recrea 
tions  to  God,  and  seek  them  for  his  sake. 

14.  Let  me  frequently  ask  myself  what  duty  or 
what  temptation  is  now  before  me. 

15.  Let  me  remember  that,  through  the  mercy  of 
God  in  a  Redeemer,  I  hope  I  am  within  a  short  space 
of  heaven. 

16.  Let  me  frequently  survey  these  rules,  and  my 
conduct  as  compared  with  them. 

17.  Let  me  often  recollect  which  of  these  rules  I 
have  present  occasion  to  practise. 

18.  If  I  have  grossly  erred  in  any  one  of  these 
particulars,  let  me  not  think  it  an  excuse  for  erring 
in  others. 

A  briefer  series  of  practical  directions  drawn  up 
about  this  time  by  Doddridge,  for  the  government  of 
his  own  conduct,  is  worthy  of  preservation. 

1.  Begin  the  day  with  God. 


32  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

2.  Be  conscientious  and  diligent  in  the  business 
of  the  day. 

3.  Be  moderate  and  innocent  in  the  recreations 
of  the  day. 

4.  Carefully  remark  and  wisely  improve  all  prov 
idential  dispensations. 

5.  Guard  against  the  temptations  of  the  day. 

6.  Govern  your  thoughts  when  alone. 

7.  Guard  your  tongue  when  in  company. 

8.  In  every  thing  depend  on  the  assisting  grace 
of  God.     Whatever  be  the  work  in  hand,  whether 
sacred  or  civil,  whether  temple  work,  domestic  work, 
public  work,  or  closet  work,  seek  divine  assistance. 

9.  Close  the  day  with  self-examination  and  prayer. 
Any  one  who  shall  conform,  in  a  good  degree,  to 

rules  like  these,  is  no  common  man ;  and  yet  we  have 
reason  to  believe  that  Doddridge  habitually,  and  with 
an  unusual  degree  of  success,  made  them  the  guide 
of  his  energetic,  self-denying,  and  useful  life.  Devia 
tions  from  one  or  another  of  these,  there  doubtless 
may  have  been ;  but  it  was  a  pledge  of  high  excel 
lence  in  all  the  grand  and  noble  aims  of  life,  that  he 
set  distinctly  and  visibly  before  him  rules  of  such 
uncommon  strictness,  and  that  he  applied  his  active 
and  prayerful  and  persevering  mind  to  the  fullest 
exemplification  of  them  in  his  daily  life.  An  enlarged 
piety  and  philanthropy  evidently  had  already  pos 
session  of  his  heart,  and  constituted  his  grand  prin 
ciples  of  action. 

In  the  latter  part  of  his  student-life,  and  in  the 
earlier  years  of  his  ministerial  course,  it  must  be  con 
fessed,  that  his  buoyant,  gay,  and  social  temperament 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  33 

led  him  into  a  style  of  epistolary  correspondence  not 
in  sufficient  harmony  with  the  rules  by  which  he  had 
so  earnestly  purposed  to  govern  his  conduct. 

When  the  Rev.  Job  Or  ton  was  about  to  undertake 
the  office  of  biographer,  Mrs.  Doddridge,  after  the 
decease  of  her  excellent  husband,  thus  writes : 

"  We  were  neither  of  us  strangers  to  the  natural 
gayety  of  his  temper,  which  sometimes  cast  a  shade 
over  his  otherwise  excellent  qualities;  and  these 
things  may  perhaps  be  yet  remembered  by  some 
when  those  may  be  overlooked  and  forgot.  But 
mingled,  as  I  fear  you  will  find  his  early  diaries 
and  other  papers  with  things  of  this  kind,  I  doubt 
not  but  you  will  also  there  find  those  seeds  of  piety 
which,  by  his  indefatigable  care,  under  the  blessing 
of  Heaven,  were  growing  up  and  gradually  im 
proved,  till  they  shone  out  with  such  bright  and 
distinguishing  rays ;  and  amid  his  gayest  scenes  in 
early  life,  will  there  be  discovered  the  foundations 
early  laid  for  those  important  and  extensive  schemes 
of  his  future  usefulness,  many  of  which,  by  the  divine 
favor,  he  lived  to  execute,  and  others,  and  still  more 
perhaps,  were  broken  off." 

These  hints  apply  more  particularly  to  some  of 
the  earlier  portions  of  his  correspondence,  as  it  ap 
pears  in  the  voluminous  London  edition;  yet  it  may 
be  affirmed  that  the  letters  are  well  written,  and 
that  many  of  them  display  some  of  the  finest  quali 
ties  of  thought,  of  style,  and  of  moral  excellence. 
Many  even  of  his  early  letters  show  that  he  had, 
while  still  a  youth,  formed  habits  of  clear  and  vigo 
rous  reasoning  on  theological  subjects. 

9* 


34  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

Having  pursued  his  studies  for  three  years,  under 
Mr.  Jennings,  at  Kibworth,  he  followed  his  tutor  in 
his  removal  to  Hinckley  in  1722,  that  he  might  com 
plete  his  studies  preparatory  to  being  licensed  to 
preach  the  gospel.  His  licensure  took  place  just 
after  he  had  completed  his  twentieth  year.  The  fol 
lowing  letters  will  form  the  best  narrative  of  the 
circumstances  connected  with  this  period  of  his  life. 

To  his  Sister,  Mrs.  Nettleton. 

"  HINCKLEY,  July  30,  1722. 

"I  preached  my  first  sermon  on  Sunday  morning 
to  a  very  large  auditory,  from  1  Cor.  16:22:  'If 
any  man  love  not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  let  him  be 
Anathema,  Maranatha.7  It  was  a  plain  and  practical 
discourse,  and  cost  me  but  a  few  hours  study ;  but  as 
I  had  the  advantage  of  a  very  moving  subject,  and  a 
good-natured,  attentive  people,  it  was  received  much 
better  than  I  could  have  expected.  There  was  one 
good  old  woman  that  was  a  little  offended  to  see 
such  a  lad  get  up  into  the  pulpit ;  but  I  had  the  good 
fortune  to  please  her  so  well,  that  as  soon  as  I  had 
done,  she  told  Mrs.  Jennings  that  she  could  lay  me 
in  her  bosom." 

A  happy  result  is  reported  of  this  first  sermon : 
"  I  find  in  his  diary,"  says  Mr.  Orton,  "  that  two 
persons  ascribed  their  conversion  to  the  blessing  of 
God  attending  that  sermon,  with  which  he  appears 
to  have  been  much  affected  and  encouraged.77 

To  the  Rev.  Samuel  Clarke. 

"  HINCKLEY,  Sept,  1722. 

"If  I  were  to  regard  only  my  own  personal  con 
venience,  I  should  very  much  regret  our  leaving  Kib- 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  35 

worth;  for  we  have  none  of  those  agreeable  retire 
ments  without  doors  that  we  had  there,  as  meadows, 
gardens,  arbors,  and  grottos. 

"As  for  the  company  in  the  town,  it  can  but  little 
interrupt  rny  studies.  If  I  expect  elegant  and  polite 
entertainment,  I  must  look  for  it  within  doors.  Our 
neighbors  are  persons  of  an  ordinary  education,  but 
some  of  them  have  native  good  sense,  and  many  of 
them  a  great  deal  of  piety ;  and  they  often  take  an 
unaffected  prudent  freedom  in  discoursing  on  relig 
ious  subjects,  which  is  very  agreeable,  and  I  hope 
may  be  improving. 

"Mr.  Jennings  encourages  the  greatest  freedom 
of  inquiry,  and  always  inculcates  it  as  a  law,  that 
the  Scriptures  are  the  only  genuine  standard  of 
faith.  We  have  gone  through  many  important  doc 
trines  since  Whitsuntide,  such  as  the  preexistence 
and  divinity  of  Christ,  the  Trinity,  the  nature  of 
angels,  the  Adamic  covenant,  the  imputation  of  the 
sin  of  our  first  parents,  the  satisfaction  made  by 
Christ,  and  the  abolition  of  the  Mosaic  law.  Once 
a  week  we  make  a  thesis.  I  have  already  composed 
two:  one  on  the  inspiration  of  the  New  Testament, 
the  other  on  the  absurdity  charged  upon  the  Mosaic 
history  of  the  creation  and  fall. 

"For  ecclesiastical  history  we  read  Dupin's  Com 
pendium.  But  then  we  take  in  the  assistance  of 
Le  Clerc,  Spanheim,  and  Bibliotheca  Patrum.  We 
have  already  gone  through  the  first  twelve  cen 
turies." 


36  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

To  Mr.  Hughes. 

"September  22,  1722. 

"We  are  settled  at  Hinckley,  which  is  a  populous 
place,  and  our  number  of  pupils  is  considerably  in 
creased  ;  but  how  gladly  would  I  exchange  this  new 
company  for  a  few  days  or  hours  with  you.  Pardon 
these  expressions  of  a  fondness  which  I  cannot  con 
ceal. 

"  There  are  many  dissenters  in  this  town,  who  all 
treat  me  with  a  great  deal  of  respect.  Some  of  them 
have  natural  good  sense,  but  there  is  little  politeness 
among  them,  and  so  one  cannot  expect  the  more  ele 
gant  entertainment  of  conversation.  I  am  fixed  in  a 
very  pretty  little  chamber,  but  I  do  not  like  it  so  well 
as  my  old  garret  at  Kibworth,  because  it  is  more  ex 
posed  to  the  noise  of  the  house ;  and  1  have  no  oppor 
tunity  of  reading  aloud,  nor  room  to  walk  about  in  it. 
We  are  now  in  a  great  hurry  of  building,  and  I  have 
no  very  delightful  prospect ;  for  if  I  look  out  at  the 
window,  I  see  nothing  but  lime  and  bricks,  and  sand 
and  timber,  the  materials  of  our  new  meeting-place. 
And  then  for  music  I  hear  the  noise  of  axes,  the  din 
of  hammers,  and  the  creaking  of  saws.  I  am  so 
much  entertained  with  these  soothing  sounds,  that  I 
could  not  but  mention  them;  and  hope  that  amidst 
all  this  harmony  you  will  pardon  a  little  nonsense. 

"I  beg  that  you  will  not  delay  writing,  if  you 
would  not  have  me  believe  that  you  have  forgotten 
the  most  affectionate  of  your  friends,  and  the  hum 
blest  of  your  servants." 


HIS  THEOLOGIC. 

To  the  same. 

"HlNCKLEY,  1722. 

"I  do  not  know  what  character  my  friends  may 
have  given  you  of  my  sermons,  but  I  am  sure,  if  it  be 
a  very  advantageous  one,  it  will  be  my  most  prudent 
way  to  take  care  not  to  undeceive  you  by  preaching 
before  you  ;  for  if  I  may  be  permitted  to  be  any  judge 
of  my  own  performances,  they  will  by  no  means  an 
swer  your  expectations.  They  are  all  upon  the 
plainest  and  most  practical  subjects  •  and  it  is  happy 
if  they  be  at  all  calculated,  as  I  am  sure  they  were 
principally  intended,  to  inform  the  judgment  and 
awaken  the  consciences  of  the  people,  and  to  fix  their 
resolution  for  a  course  of  rational,  steady,  and  indis 
pensable  piety.  It  is  not  because  I  despise  the 
charms  of  eloquence,  that  I  have  entirely  laid  them 
aside,  but  because  I  know  that  I  am  not  at  all  master 
of  them,  and  so  choose  rather  not  to  attempt  them, 
than  by  an  awkward  imitation  to  darken  the  subject 
to  the  plainer  part  of  an  audience,  without  approv 
ing  myself  to  the  nicer  judgment  of  the  more  polite. 
In  short,  I  am  grown  very  familiar  with  the  old  Pu 
ritans,  and  consequently  I  am  a  great  favorite  with 
the  old  women!  Pray  congratulate  me  on  this  good 
fortune,  which  is  entirely  beyond  my  expectation  and 
my  hope.7' 

To  the  Rev.  Samuel  Clarke. 

"  December  1,  1722. 

"Mr.  Jennings'  pupils  never  preach  anywhere 
out  of  the  verge  of  their  own  congregation,  till  they 
have  been  examined  by  a  committee  of  the  neighbor 
ing  ministers,  who  are  chosen  for  that  purpose  at  a 


38  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

general  county  meeting.  The  time  of  this  examina 
tion  is  in  the  pupils'  choice.  Now  I  leave  it  to  your 
determination  whether  I  shall  be  examined  imme 
diately  after  Christmas,  or  defer  it  to  the  last  month 
of  my  course.  Mr.  Jennings  is  for  hastening  it,  be 
cause  he  thinks,  by  preaching  abroad,  I  may  get  a 
better  acquaintance  in  the  neighborhood.  Kibworth 
is  not  yet  provided  with  a  minister,  and  they  are 
pretty  urgent  for  occasional  supplies  from  our  house. 
And  then  he  thinks  riding  will  be  good  for  my 
health.  I  am  sure  there  is  at  least  one  considerable 
objection  to  these  arguments,  and  that  is,  that  I  have 
neither  great-coat,  boots,  spurs,  nor  whip,  nor  so 
much  as  a  Bible  big  enough  to  hold  my  notes;  and 
so  I  am  but  poorly  equipped  for  an  itinerant 
preacher. 

"I  should  be  glad  to  hear  in  your  next,  how  you 
intend  to  dispose  of  me  after  I  have  finished  my 
course  here  :  whether  I  am  to  spend  a  few  months 
more  with  Mr.  Jennings,  or  may  hope  to  have  my 
education  carried  on  at  some  other  place ;  whether,  if 
neither  of  these  plans  can  be  brought  about,  I  am 
to  be  fixed  in  a  private  family,  and  preach  now  and 
then,  or  am  likely  to  be  more  constantly  engaged. 
I  should  be  very  well  pleased  with  any  of  the  for 
mer,  but  have  no  inclination  for  the  last,  if  it  can 
conveniently  be  avoided. 

"I  do  not  know  that  I  have  ever  been  more  fru 
gal  in  my  expenses,  since  I  came  to  Mr.  Jennings', 
than  I  have  been  of  late,  and  yet  I  have  been  forced 
to  take  four  guineas  since  the  date  of  my  last.  One 
half  guinea  was  spent  in  articles  of  dress,  and  the 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  39 

greatest  part  of  another  in  necessary  journeys ;  one 
to  Leicester,  to  take  the  oaths  and  subscribe  the 
articles,*  which  cost  me  six  shillings,  and  another  to 
Mount  Sorrel  to  a  meeting  of  ministers. 

"I  have  made  two  theological  theses — one  about 
original  sin,  and  the  other  on  the  worship  of  Christ ; 
and  four  more  sermons:  one  on  maintaining  contin 
ual  communion  with  God,  Psa.  73:23;  two  on  the 
omniscience  of  God,  from  Prov.  15:3;  1  Cor.  2:9; 
and  the  last  on  a  regard  to  the  invisible  world,  from 
2  Cor.  4:18.  The  people  were,  generally  speaking, 
calm  and  attentive;  not  bigoted  to  any  particular 
subjects  or  phases,  but  heartily  pleased,  with  the  as 
surance  of  honesty  and  seriousness ;  and  it  is  princi 
pally  owing  to  this,  that  these  plain,  artless  dis 
courses  have  met  with  much  better  acceptance  than 
I  could  have  expected. 

"  Long  lectures,  disputations,  and  sermons  do  not 
leave  us  much  spare  time;  but  most  of  that  which 
remains  is  spent  in  the  Scriptures,  and  practical  di 
vinity,  and  some  volumes  of  Boyle's  Lectures  in  vin 
dication  of  revealed  religion.  The  classics,  the  Spec 
tator,  essays,  poems,  and  travels  serve  for  the  enter 
tainment  of  our  idle  hours.  I  ask  your  pardon  for 
detaining  you  so  long,  but  I  write  the  more  at  large 
that  I  may  not  trouble  you  so  often." 

To  Miss  Clarke. 

"  January  5,  1723. 

"All  my  present  happiness  is  treasured  up  in  my 
friends;  and  for  that  very  reason,  you  cannot  im- 

*  A  legal  qualification,  without  which  a  non-conformist 
could  not  then  preach  in  safety. 


40  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

agine  how  frequently  they  discompose  me.  I  feel 
their  afflictions  more  than  my  own,  and  am  tormented 
with  a  thousand  imaginary  fears  upon  their  account, 
which  my  fondness,  and  not  my  reason,  suggests. 
Every  thing  that  looks  like  a  slight  or  a  neglect 
from  them  touches  me  to  the  quick;  and  while  I 
imagine  they  are  out  of  humor,  I  am  so  far  from 
being  cheerful,  that  I  can  hardly  be  good-natured. 

"And  now,  if  the  inordinate  love  of  the  most 
excellent  creatures  has  so  many  fatal  consequences, 
how  just  your  reflections :  If  our  souls  are  formed  for 
love,  let  us  learn  to  place  our  supreme  affection  upon  our 
Creator;  for  it  is  that  alone  which  can  afford  us 
lasting  satisfaction.  And  certainly,  if  we  could  per 
suade  ourselves  to  love  the  blessed  God  as  we  ought, 
the  happiness  of  this  life,  as  well  as  the  hope  of  the 
next,  would  be  fixed  upon  the  most  solid  basis;  we 
should  have  all  the  transports  of  unbounded  passion 
without  any  of  its  anguish  and  perturbation.  He  has 
no  sorrow  to  be  condoled,  no  unkindness  to  be  sus 
pected,  no  change  to  be  feared.  The  united  powers 
of  the  creation  cannot  give  him  one  moment's  un 
easiness,  nor  separate  us  one  moment  from  his  pres 
ence  and  his  favor;  but  the  dear  object  of  our 
wishes  and  our  hopes  would  be  for  ever  happy,  and 
for  ever  our  own.  We  may  converse  with  him  in 
the  most  intimate  and  endearing  manner,  in  every 
place  and  in  every  circumstance  of  life.  Every  afflic 
tion  would  then  be  light,  and  every  duty  would  be 
easy.  How  ardently  should  we  embrace  every  op 
portunity  of  doing  something  to  testify  our  respect 
and  affection  for  him;  and  what  a  relish  would  it 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  41 

give  to  every  common  enjoyment  of  life  to  consider 
that  it  came  from  his  hand,  and  that  he  sent  it  as 
a  token  of  his  love,  and  as  the  pledge  of  something 
infinitely  more  valuable.  Death  itself  would  be 
unspeakably  desirable  when  we  could  consider  it 
in  this  view — but  as  retiring  with  the  best  of  our 
friends  into  a  nobler  apartment,  to  spend  an  eternity 
in  his  delightful  presence,  without  the  least  interval 
of  sorrow,  absence,  or  indifference.  It  is  a  happy 
condition;  but,  alas,  when  shall  we  arrive  at  it? 
I  have  often  thought  that  affectionate  tempers,  like 
yours  and  mine,  are  well  turned  for  the  most  ele 
vated  devotion.  But  we  cannot  expect  it,  at  least 
for  any  continuance,  till  we  have  regulated  and  sub 
dued  every  meaner  passion. 

"I  heartily  join  with  you  in  lamenting  the  di 
visions  of  the  London  ministers,  and  beg  that  God 
would  pour  out  a  better  spirit  upon  them,  a  spirit 
of  love  and  a  sound  mind — orthodoxy  of  temper,  as 
well  as  orthodoxy  of  belief." 

To  his  Sister,  Mrs.  Nettleton. 

"January  26,  1723. 

"I  really  want  company.  This  looks  like  a 
strange  complaint  in  such  a  family  as  ours.  But  I 
will  assure  you  that  it  is  not  without  reason.  Mrs. 
Jennings  [with  whom  he  boarded]  is  either  busy  or 
tired ;  and  as  for  my  fellow-pupils,  some  of  them  have 
but  a  moderate  share  of  common-sense;  some  of 
them  are  of  a  very  unhappy  natural  temper,  and 
most  of  them  are  perfect  strangers  to  every  thing 
that  looks  like  goodbreeding  and  politeness  ;  so  that, 


42  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

though  I  keep  upon  very  civil  terms  with  all,  I  am 
intimate  with  nobody  but  Mrs.  Jennings. 

"I  am  to  be  examined  to-morrow  by  a  committee 
of  ministers  chosen  for  that  purpose  at  the  general 
meeting.  I  know  the  temper  of  the  men,  and  the 
nature  of  the  thing  so  well,  that  I  have  no  uneasy 
apprehensions  about  it." 

The  above  extract  suggests  an  incident  well  re 
lated  by  Mr.  Stoughton,  who  observes  that  in  Dod- 
dridge,  "unaffected  courtesy  was  blended  with  liter 
ary  refinement,  and  the  poor  student  could  hardly 
be  mistaken  for  any  thing  but  what  he  was,  the 
polished  gentleman.  Overtaken  one  day  by  bad 
weather  at  Newport  Pagnell,  he  called  at  the 
house  of  Mr.  Hunt,  the  pastor  of  the  Dissenting 
church  there,  when  his  son,  struck  with  the  inter 
esting  appearance  and  bland  manners  of  the  visitor, 
offered  him  the  loan  of  a  great-coat.  Mrs.  Hunt, 
good  careful  soul,  questioned  the  wisdom  of  putting 
such  generous  confidence  in  an  unaccredited  stranger ; 
but  the  son,  who  could  read  character  better  than 
the  mother,  replied,  "I  am  sure  he  is  a  gentleman 
and  a  scholar."  The  answer  was  overheard  by  Dod- 
dridge,  and  he  never  forgot  this  expression  of  his 
new  friend's  trustfulness,  and  this  reward  of  his 
own  courteous  demeanor.  An  intimacy  sprung  up 
between  him  and  young  Hunt,  who  succeeded  his 
father  in  the  ministry  of  Newport.  The  town  be 
came  a  place  of  interest  to  Doddridge,  and  after  he 
attained  to  celebrity,  an  opportunity  offered  for 
showing  a  practical  concern  for  the  welfare  of  the 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  43 

church.  The  meeting-house  having  been  erected 
on  an  estate  which  was  the  property  of  one  of  the 
principal  people  in  the  congregation,  no  conveyance 
of  the  ground  on  which  it  stood  had  ever  been  made 
to  proper  trustees,  and  the  owner  of  the  estate  be 
coming  a  bankrupt,  it  was  seized  by  the  creditors ; 
this  was  in  1740.  Dr.  Doddridge  then  generously 
came  forward  and  purchased  the  meeting-place  of 
them,  and  conveyed  it  to  proper  trustees,  and  by 
his  zeal  and  influence  the  money  was  soon  raised." 

The  subject  of  another  portion  of  the  last  letter  is 
more  fully  unfolded  in  the  following  one : 

To  the  Rev.  Samuel  Clarke. 

"January  28,1723. 

"I  am  very  much  obliged  to  you  for  the  tender 
concern  you  express  for  me,  and  the  excellent  and 
seasonable  advice  which  you  give  me.  May  I  always 
so  digest  and  retain  it  as  ever  to  carry  about  with 
me  an  humble  sense  of  my  own  insufficiency,  a  cheerful 
dependence  upon  the  assistance  of  divine  grace,  and 
an  affectionate  concern  for  the  glory  of  my  Redeemer, 
and  the  happiness  of  my  fellow-creatures.  It  is  true 
that  my  good  tutor,  whom  I  shall  always  respect  as 
one  of  my  best  friends,  is  always  ready  to  give  me 
such  cautions  and  admonitions  as  he  thinks  necessary ; 
and  he  has  that  happy  art,  which  so  few  besides  Mr. 
Jennings  and  Mr.  Clarke  possess,  of  giving  the  plain 
est  and  most  sincere  advice  with  all  the  good-nature 
and  decorum  that  one  could  desire  or  imagine.  How 
ever,  sir,  I  hope  you  will  not  write  the  seldomer  on 
that  account.  You  may  sometimes  fall  into  reflec 
tions  which  I  have  not  heard  from  him ;  and  when  it 


44  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

happens  otherwise,  it  will  be  a  pleasure  and  an  ad 
vantage  to  me  to  observe  how  exactly  you  concur  in 
sentiment. 

"  One  reason  for  my  answering  your  letter  sooner, 
perhaps,  than  I  should  otherwise  have  done,  is  to 
transmit  to  you  the  following  bill,  which  I  received 
from  Mr.  Jennings  presently  after  Christmas:  'To 
Christinas,  1722,  half-a-year's  board  and  tuition,  eight 
pounds,  ten  shillings;  'Spanheim's  Elenchus/  five 
shillings  and  three  pence ;  exchange  of  a  Hebrew 
Bible,  four  shillings  and  sixpence;  'Dupin's  Eccle 
siastical  History/  ten  shillings  and  sixpence ;  for  a 
gown,  one  pound,  fourteen  shillings,  and  twopence ; 
in  money,  three  pounds,  three  shillings,  and  fivepence, 
payable  to  Mr.  Clarke  of  London.'  The  books  are 
such  as  we  read  in  our  course;  and  which  Mr.  Jen 
nings  thought  proper  to  provide  for  us  himself.  My 
old  Hebrew  Bible  was  in  a  very  sad  condition,  as  it 
had  been  used  as  a  school-book  before  it  came  into 
my  hands.  In  some  places  it  was  hardly  legible,  and 
therefore  I  dare  say  you  will  not  blame  my  parting 
with  it.  My  gown  had  lasted  me  two  years,  and  had 
been  turned  and  mended  several  times,  and  was  at 
first  but  an  ordinary  calimanco  of  eighteen  pence  a 
yard,  so  that  it  was  very  necessary  to  have  another. 
I  am  not  aware  of  any  considerable  expense  that 
could  have  been  retrenched.  I  have  always  endeav 
ored  to  avoid  every  thing  that  looks  like  extrava 
gance;  and  you  may  depend  upon  it,  shall  continue 
to  do  so.  I  shall  be  obliged  to  be  pretty  often 
abroad  this  half-year ;  but  I  have  some  friends  in  the 
congregation  who  will  sometimes  accommodate  me 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  45 

with  their  horses,  and  I  hope  that  most  of  my  jour 
neys  will  pay  their  own  charges. 

"Last  Thursday  my  class-fellow  Mr.  Some  and  I  * 
were  examined  by  his  father,  Mr.  Bridgen,  and  Mr. 
Norris,  three  neighboring  ministers,  remarkable  for 
their  affability,  candor,  and  Catholicism,  as  well  as 
their  learning  and  good-sense.  They  were  pleased 
to  declare  themselves  thoroughly  satisfied;  and  we 
are  to  receive  a  certificate  of  approbation  and  recom 
mendation  from  all  the  ministers  of  the  county  next 
general  meeting.  In  the  mean  time  we  take  our 
turns  with  two  more  for  the  supply  of  Kilworth." 

The  habit  of  strict  and  conscientious  economy, 
which  we  learn  from  these  and  numerous  other  let 
ters  was  practised  by  Doddridge  while  dependent  on 
the  liberality  of  his  generous  patron,  is  deserving  of 
notice  and  of  commendation,  and  is  worthy  of  being 
imitated  by  all  in  similar  circumstances.  It  was  not 
connected,  however,  either  now  or  subsequently,  with 
penuriousness.  He  was  accustomed,  years  before,  to 
divide  with  the  poor  peasantry,  among  whom  his 
walks  were  taken,  the  little  sums  on  hand,  which 
others  would  probably  have  regarded  it  as  a  duty  to 
expend  upon  their  own  increased  comfort. 

It  may  be  also  remarked  that  the  gown  worn  by 
the  non-conformist  ministers  at  that  day  was  often  of 
a  dark  blue  color,  in  imitation  of  the  color  of  the 
cloak  used  at  Geneva — that  famous  asylum  of  the 
reformers,  and  strong-hold  of  the  Protestant  faith  in 
the  days  of  Calvin  and  afterwards.  We  are  told 
that  one  of  the  family  pictures  represents  Dr.  Dod 
dridge  as  wearing  a  gown  of  this  sort,  and  a  flowing 


46  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

^ 
wig.    Let  us  here,  once  for  all,  encourage  and  instruct 

the  poor  student  of  our  own  da}7,  by  copying  a  few 
lines  from  the  excellent  widow  of  Doddridge,  when 
writing  to  Orton  his  biographer,  while  preparing  his 
memoir :  "  Some  spice  too,  you  will  find  I  have  sent, 
of  his  exact  manner  of  keeping  his  accounts ;  to  which 
permit  me  to  add,  that  I  have  often  heard  him  say 
that,  during  the  years  he  was  at  school,  and  after 
wards  as  pupil,  he  never  contracted  any  debts,  and 
though  his  income  was  small,  he  never  wanted  money, 
but  at  the  close  of  every  year  had  always  some  cash 
in  hand — that  he  always  made  it  a  rule  to  content 
himself  with  the  table  kept  for  the  family,  and  never 
spent  any  money  either  in  wine  or  tea,  or  any  other 
unnecessary  expense." 

From  the  Rev.  Samuel  Clarke. 

"Si.  ALBANS,  1723. 

"Whatever  acceptance  you  meet  with  as  a  preach 
er,  I  trust  you  will  consider  as  an  argument  to  en 
courage  your  endeavors  after  a  still  greater  improve 
ment  of  your  talents. 

"  One  thing  that  young  ministers  have  particular 
reason  to  study  is  humility.  Many  are  their  tempta 
tions  to  vanity;  especially  if  they  have  the  advan 
tages  of  superior  ability  and  acceptance.  Indulgence 
in  this  weakness  will  be  a  bar  to  the  divine  influence, 
for  God  resisteth  the  proud,  but  gives  more  and  more 
grace  to  the  humble.  It  also  lessens  a  man  very 
much  in  the  eyes  of  judicious  persons,  who,  whatever 
artful  methods  are  taken,  will  still  be  able  to  discern 
and  despise  it.  It  ordinarily  also  takes  off  from  the 
vigor  of  a  man's  endeavors  to  make  further  advances 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  47 

to  improve  himself.  It  is  good,  therefore,  to  have 
our  eyes  very  much  upon  our  own  defects,  and  to  think 
how  much  we  fall  short  of  those  excellent  patterns 
which  we  should  be  always  proposing  for  our  imita 
tion.  Let  us  not  value  ourselves  upon,  nor  be  much 
concerned  about,  the  opinions  of  men ;  but  labor  above 
all  things  for  the  divine  approbation. 

"It  is  also  of  great  importance,  in  all  our  minis 
terial  performances,  to  have  continually  in  view  one 
great  end,  which  is  the  advancement  of  the  interests 
of  religion,  and  the  salvation  of  souls ;  and  not  only 
in  the  general,  but  in  every  particular  ministration  to 
awaken  in  our  minds  a  very  sensible  concern  about 
these  matters. 

"  I  continue  to  recommend  you  arid  your  studies  to 
the  divine  blessing ;  and  heartily  pray  you  may  have 
the  honor  to  be  employed  by  our  great  Lord  and 
Master  considerably  to  advance  his  kingdom  in  the 
world ;  to  see  which  will  be  an  abundant  recompense 
for  whatever  trouble  I  have  been  at  on  your  ac 
count." 

To  Miss  Hannah  Clarke. 

"April  27,  1723. 

"I  have  lately  received  an  invitation  to  settle  at 
Kibworth,  and  Mr.  Clarke  has  given  his  consent; 
but  some  things  have  since  occurred  that  consider 
ably  perplex,  and  will  at  least  retard  the  affair.  I 
am  at  present  in  a  very  uneasy  agitation  of  mind ; 
and  earnestly  beg  you,  as  a  dear  and  Christian  friend, 
to  join  me  in  prayer  to  that  God  who  is  the  author  of 
every  good  and  perfect  gift,  that  he  would  give  me 
wisdom  to  direct  my  way,  and  providentially  bring 


48  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

the  affair  to  such  an  issue  as  may  be  most  for  his 
glory,  and  my  improvement  and  usefulness. " 

From  Rev.  Samuel  Clarke. 

"Si.  ALBANS,  May  11,  1723. 

"  I  have  received  yours,  in  which  you  give  me  an 
account  of  the  prospect  you  have  of  an  invitation  to 
settle  at  Coventry.  The  acceptance  Providence  fa 
vors  you  with,  makes  it  necessary  that  you  should  be 
very  much  upon  your  guard  against  ebullitions  of 
pride  and  vainglory,  which  are  so  natural  to  us  all, 
and  especially  when  we  first  come  abroad  into  the 
world  with  advantage.  Humility  is  the  best  ornament 
to  valuable  gifts.  The  shade  it  casts  upon  them  makes 
them  appear  the  more  lovely,  and  gives  them  a  greater 
efficacy.  Let  your  heart  be  full  of  a  sense  of  those 
manifold  defects  which  an  inward  acquaintance  with 
yourself  will  easily  discover.  Have  often  before  your 
eyes  the  nature  and  importance  of  the  work  you  are 
engaged  in,  and  the  account  you  have  to  give,  and 
you  will  then  always  find  reason  to  say  from  your 
heart,  with  the  blessed  apostle,  "  Who  is  sufficient  for 
these  things?" 

To  the  Rev.  Samuel  Clarke. 

"May  25, 1723. 

"I  heartily  thank  you,  good  sir,  for  the  excellent 
advice  you  give  me  relating  to  humility ;  and  I  must 
be  extremely  unacquainted  with  my  own  heart,  if  I 
thought  I  did  not  need  it.  I  am  fully  convinced  in 
my  own  judgment,  that  'popularity  is  in  itself  a  very 
mean,  as  well  as  an  uncertain  thing;  and  that  it  is 
only  valuable  as  it  gives  us  an  opportunity  to  act  for 
God  with  greater  advantage ;  and  yet  I  find,  by  the 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  49 

little  I  have  tasted,  that  it  is  of  an  intoxicating  na 
ture.  I  desire  not  to  be  solicitous  about  it,  and  hope 
I, can  honestly  say,  that  when  I  think  I  have  been 
instrumental  in  making  or  promoting  good  impres 
sions  upon  the  hearts  of  some  of  my  hearers,  it  gives 
me  a  much  nobler  and  more  lasting  satisfaction  than 
I  ever  had  in  the  approbation  with  which  my  plain 
discourses  have  sometimes  been  received. 

"And  now,  sir,  I  cannot  but  reflect,  as  I  very  fre 
quently  do,  that,  under  God,  I  owe  this  pleasure  to 
the  goodness  of  my  friends,  and  to  your  generosity 
and  kindness.  If  God  had  not  wonderfully  provided 
for  me  by  your  means,  instead  of  this  honorable  and 
delightful  employment  which  I  am  now  entering 
upon,  and  which  I  should  from  my  heart  choose  be 
fore  any  other  in  the  world,  I  should  in  all  prob 
ability  have  been  tied  down  to  some  dull  formal 
duties,  in  which  I  should  not  have  had  any  of  these 
advantages  for  improving  my  mind,  or  so  comfortable 
a  prospect  for  usefulness  now  and  happiness  here 
after.  The  only  return  I  can  make  for  all  this 
goodness,  is  my  thanks  and  my  prayers.  You  have 
certainly  the  greatest  claim  to  them ;  and  I  hope,  sir, 
you  will  continue  to  remember  me  in  yours." 

To  Miss  Clarke. 

"  July  15,  1723. 

"  Great  revolutions  have  happened  in  my  little 
affairs  since  I  wrote  to  you.  On  the  first  of  June  I 
removed  from  Hinckley,  and  am  come  to  a  little  vil 
lage  in  the  neighborhood  of  Kibworth,  where  I  am 
settled,  and  have  laid  aside  all  thoughts  of  going  to 
Coventry,  though  I  have  been  much  solicited  to  do  so 

Doddridice.  3 


50  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

since  my  coming  hither.  My  settlement  here  is,  on 
some  accounts,  pleasant,  but  on  others,  disagreeable 
enough. 

"  You  know  I  love  a  country  life,  and  here  we  have 
it  in  perfection.  I  am  roused  in  the  morning  by  the 
chirping  of  sparrows,  the  cooing  of  pigeons,  the  low 
ing  of  kine,  the  bleating  of  sheep,  and  the  neighing 
of  horses.  We  have  a  mighty  pleasant  garden  and 
orchard,  and  a  fine  arbor  under  some  tall  shady  limes, 
that  form  a  kind  of  lofty  dome,  of  which,  as  a  native 
of  the  great  city,  you  may  perhaps  catch  a  glimmer 
ing  idea,  if  I  name  the  cupola  of  St.  Paul's.  And  then 
on  the  other  side  of  the  house  there  is  a  large  space 
which  we  call  the  wilderness,  and  which,  I  fancy,  would 
please  you  extremely.  The  ground  is  a  dainty  green 
sward  ;  a  brook  runs  sparkling  through  the  middle, 
and  there  are  two  large  fish-ponds  at  one  end.  Both 
the  ponds  and  the  brook  are  surrounded  with  wil 
lows  ;  and  there  are  several  shady  walks  under  the 
trees,  besides  little  knots  of  young  willows  inter 
spersed  at  convenient  distances.  This  is  the  nursery 
of  our  lambs  and  calves,  with  whom  I  have  the  honor 
to  be  intimately  acquainted.  Here  I  generally  spend 
the  evening,  and  pay  my  respects  to  the  setting  sun, 
when  the  variety  and  beauty  of  the  prospect  inspire 
a  pleasure  which  I  know  not  how  to  express.  I  am 
sometimes  so  transported  with  these  inanimate  beau 
ties,  that  1  fancy  that  I  am  like  Adam  in  Paradise ; 
and  it  is  my  only  misfortune  that  I  have  none  but  the 
birds  of  the  air  and  the  beasts  of  the  field  for  my 
companions.  I  am  very  frequently  alone  twenty-one 
hours  in  the  twenty-four;  and  sometimes  breakfast, 


HIS   THEOLOGICAL   STUDIES.  51 

dine,  and  sup  by  myself.  I  cannot  say  that  this  her 
mit  life,  as  multitudes  would  call  it,  is  very  agreeable 
to  my  natural  temper,  which  inclines  me  to  society. 
I  am  therefore  necessarily  obliged  to  study  hard; 
and  if  it  were  not  for  that  resource,  my  life  would,  be 
a  burden." 

To  his  Sister,  Mrs.  Nettleton. 

"  STRETTON,  August  25,  1723. 

"I  am  now  settled  to  my  business;  and  while  I 
am  engaged,  arn  easy  enough  ;  but  at  other  times,  am 
like  a  fish  out  of  water.  I  have  had  so  much  good 
company  at  London  and  St.  Albans,  and  especially 
at  Hampstead,  that  I  hardly  know  how  to  bear  up 
under  the  loss  of  it ;  and  the  solitude  to  which  I  am 
condemned  is  a  thousand  times  more  disagreeable 
than  it  was  a  few  weeks  ago. 

"  I  do  not  know  how  to  express  my  concern  for 
the  ill  state  of  your  health.  I  am  really  sometimes 
afraid,  and  I  speak  it  with  a  very  sad  heart,  that  I 
shall  never  see  you  any  more  ;  and  God  knows  that, 
if  I  lose  you,  I  lose  the  dearest  friend  I  have  in  the 
world.  I  leave  you,  and -all  my  other  concerns,  in 
the  hands  of  that  God  who  will  certainly  do  that 
which  is  best  for  us  both ;  but  I  assure  you,  that  if  my 
prayers,  and  the  prayers  of  a  great  many  excellent 
friends  hereabout,  can  keep  you  a  few  years  longer 
out  of  heaven,  you  will  not  be  there  very  soon." 

To  Mr.  David  Some. 
[Occasioned  by  the  death  of  his  brother  Thomas.] 

"October  22,  1723. 

"  DEAR  SIR — I  thought  it  would  not  be  convenient 
to  speak  to  you  at  Harborough,  or  to  wait  on  you  at 


62  PHILIP  DODDRTDGE. 

Bowden,  so  soon  after  I  came  from  Mount  Sorrel,  and 
therefore  I  take  this  way  of  assuring  you  that  I  sin 
cerely  condole  with  you  upon  that  melancholy  prov 
idence  which  you  and  your  good  family  are  now 
moifrning  under.  Those  transports  of  grief  which 
you  could  not  conceal  when  I  saw  you  last,  as  well  as 
the  greatness  of  your  loss,  and  the  known  tenderness 
of  your  temper,  persuade  me  that  it  is  not  at  all  un 
seasonable  to  give  you  a  caution  against  that  excess 
of  sorrow  which  too  frequently  prevails  in  the  best 
of  men,  when,  like  you,  they  are  weeping  over  the  dust 
of  a  dear  relative  and  an  amiable  friend. 

"I  know,  sir,  that  your  own  reason  and  good 
sense,  and  especially  those  religious  principles  which 
through  the  grace  of  God  so  apparently  prevail  in 
your  mind,  will  furnish  you  with  the  noblest  supports 
upon  such  an  occasion,  and  therefore  it  is  not  needful 
that  I  should  particularly  remind  you  of  their  im 
portance.  I  only  desire  that  you  would  turn  your 
thoughts  that  way,  and  instead  of  fixing  them  upon 
the  aggravating  circumstances  of  your  affliction. 
would  lay  your  bosom  open  to  those  strong  conso 
lations  which  reason  and  grace  are  so  ready  to  ad 
minister;  otherwise,  besides  a  great  many  other  in 
conveniences  that  would  attend  their  neglect,  you 
may  seem  to  overlook  those  comforts  which  God  has 
still  continued  to  you,  especially  in  the  lives  of  those 
excellent  parents,  whereas  both  mine  were  removed 
many  years  before  I  came  to  your  age. 

"Consider,  my  dear  brother,  that  you  have  an 
interest  in  an  almighty  Friend,  a  friend  whom  you 
can  never  lose,  but  who  will  stand  by  you  and  sup- 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  53 

port  you  when  all  earthly  comforts  forsake  you; 
and  consider  that  you  are  hastening  to  a  glorious  and 
happy  world,  where  you  will  meet  with  this  lamented 
brother  again,  and  for  ever  converse  with  him  upon 
terms  of  much  greater  advantage.  When  your  heart 
is  warmed  with  such  reflections  as  these,  you  will  see 
the  highest  reason  to  acquiesce  in  the  divine  deter 
mination,  and  to  bless  Gofl.  for  his  compassion  and 
goodness  in  providing  such  rich  and  reviving  cor 
dials  for  his  mourning  and  afflicted  children. 

"  Instead  of  indulging  immoderate  sorrow,  let  us 
be  careful  to  learn  those  useful  instructions  which 
such  an  awful  providence  is  designed  to  teach.  Let 
us  learn  not  to  amuse  ourselves  with  the  fond  expec 
tation  of  any  certain  happiness  in  this  lower  world, 
since  God  can  so  suddenly  remove  the  dearest  of  our 
enjoyments,  or  even  in  a  moment  change  our  own 
countenance  and  send  us  away ;  for  in  that  day  all 
such  thoughts  will  immediately  perish.  Let  us  rather 
be  forming  great  and  generous  designs  for  the  glory 
of  God  and  the  good  of  the  world  around  us ;  and 
then,  if  Providence  should  see  fit  to  remove  us  while 
we  are  young,  our  honest  intentions  shall  be  kindly 
rewarded,  though  we  had  not  an  opportunity  of  put 
ting  them  into  execution. 

"As  we  see  that  neither  youth,  nor  health,  nor 
courage,  nor  the  promise  of  the  most  extensive  use 
fulness,  could  be  any  security  to  our  deceased  friend, 
let  us  be  holding  ourselves  in  a  constant  readiness  for 
that  important  change,  which  may  so  soon  surprise 
us ;  and  let  us  with  the  utmost  vigor  and  application 
be  doing  the  work  of  Him  who  sent  us  into  the  world, 


54  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

while  it  is  day,  before  the  night  comes,  and  darkness 
overtakes  us,  in  which  no  man  can  work. 

"  P.  S.  Give  me  leave,  good  sir,  to  recommend 
to  you  an  experiment  which  I  have  often  tried  myself, 
namely,  to  read  over  1  Cor.  15:12-58.  Consider,  as 
you  go  along,  that  it  is  as  certainly  the  word  of  the 
God  of  truth,  as  if  it  were  pronounced  by  a  voice 
from  heaven,  and  apply  this  glorious  promise  of  a 
glorious  resurrection  to  your  brother  and  yourself; 
and  I  believe  it  will  have  a  happy  tendency  to  com 
pose  your  mind,  and  awaken  hope  and  joy.  I  was  so 
impressed  with  it,  when  I  heard  it  read  over  your 
poor  brother's  grave,  that  really  I  could  only  weep 
that  I  was  left  behind.  2  Cor.  5 : 1-9,  and  1  Thess. 
4:13-18,  are  also  very  proper  to  be  consulted  upon 
such  an  occasion,  and  in  the  same  view.  My  most 
humble  respects  to  your  good  father  and  mother, 
upon  whom  I  intend  shortly  to  wait  at  Bowden." 

To  the  Rev.  Samuel  Clarke. 

"  BURTON,  Oct.  22,  1724. 

"I  have  at  present  a  great  deal  of  time  for  study, 
which  I  rejoice  in  as  a  great  happiness.  I  have  books 
enough  to  furnish  me  constantly  with  agreeable  em 
ployment.  At  present  my  thoughts  are  principally 
taken  up  with  divinity  and  the  study  of  the  Scrip 
tures.  I  am  going  on  with  Mr.  Baxter's  works,  which 
I  cannot  sufficiently  admire.  I  have  been  looking 
over  his  'Reasons  for  the  Christian  Religion/  and  I 
find  a  great  many  curious  and  important  thoughts, 
which  have  not  occurred  to  me  in  any  of  the  Boylean 
Lectures  which  I  have  seen.  I  am  now  reading 
'Pearson  on  the  Creed/  and  as  I  go  along,  compare 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  55 

it  with  Barrow,  article  by  article.  After  I  have  de 
spatched  these  works,  I  intend  to  read  '  Burnet  on  the 
Thirty-nine  Articles/  which  I  have  hitherto  only  con 
sulted  occasionally.  As  I  consider  the  books  I  am 
now  reading  very  valuable,  I  go  over  them  with  a 
great  deal  of  care  and  attention  ;  take  extracts  of  all 
the  most  curious  passages,  and  compare  them  with 
Mr.  Jennings'  theological  lectures,  that  they  may  be 
ready  for  use,  as  I  have  occasion. 

"I  have  now  before  me  another  business,  which 
takes  up  not  a  little  of  my  time.  I  am  drawing  up, 
but  only  for  my  own  use,  a  sort  of  analytical  scheme 
of  the  contents  of  the  epistles  of  the  New  Testament. 
I  have  already  gone  through  the  Romans,  and  the 
greatest  part  of  the  first  of  Corinthians.  I  hope  I 
now  understand  the  connection  of  these  parts  of  St. 
Paul's  writings  a  great  deal  better  than  I  did  before. 
But  I  am  afraid  I  have  frequently  been  mistaken, 
having  often  been  embarrassed  by  the  different  views 
in  which  the  same  passage  may  be  considered.  There 
are  indeed  a  great  many  difficulties  which  I  have  not 
yet  been  able  to  make  my  way  through,  at  least  to 
my  own  satisfaction;  and  where  I  have  clearly  seen 
the  intended  argument,  I  have  found  such  objections 
against  its  validity  as  have  been  very  perplexing,  and 
will  require  a  fuller  examination,  and  about  which  I 
shall  be  desirous  of  your  thoughts.  Upon  the  whole, 
I  am  ready  to  hope  that  this  scheme,  defective  as  it 
is,  may  be  of  some  service  to  me,  especially  in  helping 
me  to  open  the  connection  of  any  particular  view  which 
I  may  have  occasion  to  discourse  from,  without  the 
trouble  of  a  long  previous  examination.  My  plan  is, 


56  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

to  take  in  the  sense  of  every  clause ;  and  so,  as  the 
thoughts  lie  thick,  and  the  connection  is  very  obscure, 
the  contents  are  frequently  as  large  as  the  chapter. 
I  intend  to  contract  them  at  last,  and  to  form  a  second 
scheme,  which  will  indeed  be  a  kind  of  skeleton,  where 
I  shall  omit  all  illustrations,  digressions,  transitions, 
devotional  reflections,  and  practical  quotations;  and 
only  exhibit  in  a  very  few  words  the  propositions  and 
proofs  of  the  argumentative  part  of  these  writers. 
As  I  go  along  I  make  use  of  those  four  commentators 
which  I  have.  I  find  Locke  of  far  greater  service  to 
me  than  any  of  the  rest.  I  own  I  cannot  fall  in  with 
his  exposition  of  many  particular  texts ;  but  I  have 
very  little  to  except  against  his  general  scheme,  and 
his  division  of  the  matter,  which  seems  to  me  to  throw 
an  additional  light  upon  the  whole." 

It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  we  here  discover  the 
origin  or  basis  of  that  great  work,  the  "Family  Ex 
positor,"  upon  which  more  than  twenty  years  were 
subsequently  expended,  in  connection  with  other 
duties. 

Scarcely  had  Doddridge  entered  on  his  regular 
ministerial  duties  at  Kibworth,  before  pressing  invi 
tations  were  addressed  to  him  to  visit  other  much 
larger  and  wealthier  churches,  as  a  candidate  for  the 
pastorate.  Congregations  in  the  city  of  Coventry, 
at  Pershore  in  Worcestershire,  and  in  London,  all 
strove  to  obtain  his  labors,  and  many  temptations  of 
various  kinds  might  have  allured  him  away,  had  not 
a  strong  sense  of  duty  compelled  his  continuance 
with  his  small  and  poor  flock.  His  answer  to  all  of 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  57 

them  was  substantially  the  same :  he  was  but  in  his 
twenty-second  year,  his  mental  furniture  was  compar 
atively  small,  and  he  needed  much  study  and  expe 
rience  to  prepare  him  for  situations  of  so  much 
importance  and  magnitude. 

To  his  Brother,  the  Rev.  John  Nettleton. 

"  BURTON,  Dec.  8,  1724. 

"I  received  yours  and  my  sister's  of  November  the 
7th,  with  abundant  satisfaction.  The  very  superscrip 
tion  revived  me,  as  it  gave  me  ocular  assurance  that 
you  were  still  in  the  land  of  the  living ;  a  fact  of  which 
I  began  to  be  in  some  doubt.  I  heartily  accept  your 
apology,  as  I  know  both  you  and  her  too  well  to  mis 
take  your  silence  for  unkindness.  My  temper  does 
not  incline  me  to  uneasy  suspicions,  nor  will  the 
agreeable  and  friendly  manner  with  which  you  have 
always  treated  me,  leave  any  room  for  them. 

"I  find  it  most  useful  to  join  reading  and  reflec 
tion,  and  would  not  entirely  depend  either  on  myself 
or  others.  I  find  there  are  many  in  the  world  who 
make  a  considerable  figure,  not  only  as  preachers,  but 
as  writers,  who  subsist  entirely  upon  transcribing 
other  men's  thoughts.  This  is  a  degree  of  humility  to 
which  I  have  not  yet  attained.  In  short,  I  consider 
books  as  a  food  we  ordinary  sort  of  animals  cannot 
live  without ;  and  yet  we  may  possibly  be  overcharged, 
if  we  cram  ourselves  with  more  than  we  can  digest. 
I  have  a  pretty  keen  appetite,  and  would  rather  take 
up  with  any  than  with  none;  and  yet,  as  I  have  a 
great  variety  at  command,  I  am  pretty  nice  in  point 
of  choice.  I  have  lately  been  reading  'Barrow's 

3* 


58  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

Works/  and  ;  Pearson  upon  the  Creed/  which  I  have 
studied  with  great  care.  I  have  now  before  me 
'Burnet  on  the  Articles/  in  which  I  meet  with  very 
agreeable  entertainment. 

"  Baxter  is  my  particular  favorite.  It  is  impossi 
ble  to  tell  you  how  much  I  am  charmed  with  the  de 
votion,  good  sense,  and  pathos  which  are  everywhere 
to  be  found  in  that  writer.  I  cannot,  indeed,  forbear 
looking  upon  him  as  one  of  the  greatest  orators  that 
our  nation  ever  produced,  alike  with  regard  to  copi 
ousness,  acuteness,  and  energy ;  and  if  he  has  describ 
ed  the  temper  of  his  own  heart,  he  appears  to  have 
been  so  far  superior  to  the  generality  of  those  whom 
we  must  charitably  hope  to  be  good  men,  that  one 
would  imagine  God  had  raised  him  up  to  disgrace 
and  condemn  his  brethren,  by  showing  what  a  Chris 
tian  is,  and  how  few  in  the  world  deserve  the  char 
acter." 

It  is  pleasant  to  see  here  how  Doddridge  had  im 
proved  in  his  piety  and  theology  during  the  three 
years  which  had  elapsed  since  he  wrote,  "In  practical 
divinity,  Tillotson  is  my  principal  favorite,  and  next 
to  him  Barrow  and  Scott.  We  have  some  of  Good 
win's  works  in  the  library,  and  some  of  the  great  Dr. 
Owen's ;  but  you  know  I  am  not  very  fond  of  such 
mysterious  men." 

In  addition  to  the  general  rules  of  conduct  which 
Mr.  Doddridge  had  prescribed  to  himself  at  an  earlier 
period,  the  following  rules  were  laid  down  by  him  in 
regard  to  his  ministerial  duties  at  Kibworth : 

"1.  I  will  spend  some  extraordinary  time  in  pri- 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  59 

vate  devotion  every  Lord's  day,  morning  or  evening, 
as  opportunity  may  offer,  and  will  then  endeavor  to 
preach  over  to  my  own  soul  that  doctrine  which  I 
preach  to  others. 

"  2.  I  will  take  every  second  evening  in  the  week, 
in  which  I  will  spend  half  an  hour  in  devotional  exer 
cises  on  such  subjects  relative  to  the  congregation  as 
I  think  most  suitable  on  that  occasion. 

"  3.  At  the  close  of  every  week  and  month,  I  will 
spend  some  time  in  its  review,  that  I  may  see  how  time 
has  been  improved,  innocence  secured,  duties  discharg 
ed,  and  whether  I  advance  or  lose  ground  in  religion. 

"  4.  When  I  have  an  affair  of  more  than  ordinary 
importance  before  me,  or  meet  with  any  remarkable 
occurrence,  either  merciful  or  afflictive,  I  will  set  apart 
some  time  for  contemplation  and  to  seek  God  upon  it. 

"5.  I  will  more  particularly  devote  some  time 
every  Friday  to  seek  God,  on  account  of  those  who 
recommend  themselves  to  my  prayers,  and  to  pray  for 
the  public  welfare. 

"6.  In  all  the  duties  of  the  oratory,  I  will  endeavor 
to  maintain  a  serious  and  affectionate  temper. 

"I  am  sensible  that  I  have  a  heart  which  will  in 
cline  me  to  depart  from  God.  May  his  Spirit  strengthen 
and  sanctify  it,  so  that  I  may  find  him  in  such  seasons 
of  retirement,  and  that  my  heavenly  Father  may  ac 
cept  me  here,  and  at  length  openly  reward  me  through 
Jesus  Christ.  Amen." 

To  his  Sister,  Mrs.  Nettleton. 

"  BURTON,  February  17,  1725. 

"  I  would  not  put  you  to  so  much  confusion  as 
would  probably  arise  from  the  mention  of  the  words 


60  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

brother  and  sister,  which  might  perhaps  lead  your 
thoughts  to  recollect  a  sort  of  distant  relationship 
between  us,  that  I  once  thought  myself  exceedingly 
happy  in  possessing.  I  therefore  take  the  liberty 
humbly  to  insinuate  that  a  few  lines  from  your  fair 
hand  in  answer  to  two  quarto  pages  which  I  sent  you 
about  a  quarter  of  a  year  ago,  would  be  exceedingly 
agreeable  to 

"Your  most  obedient  servant, 

"PHILIP  DODDRIDGE." 

To  his  Brother,  the  Rev.  John  Nettleton. 

"  BURTON,  August  5,  1725. 

"I  continue  to  spend  an  hour  a  day  on  Baxter, 
whom  I  admire  more  and  more.  And  I  spend  another 
on  Homer,  which  I  read  in  the  original,  with  Pope's 
translation  and  notes.  I  have  as  yet  read  only  to  the 
end  of  the  eighth  Iliad ;  but,  as  far  as  I  can  judge,  this 
is  one  of  the  finest  translations  in  the  English  lan 
guage,  and  what  is  very  extraordinary,  it  appears  to 
the  best  advantage  when  compared  with  the  original. 
I  have  read  both  carefully  so  far,  and  written  remarks 
as  I  went  along ;  and  I  think  I  can  prove  that  where 
Pope  has  omitted  one  beauty,  he  has  added  or  improv 
ed  four." 

The  Rev.  Job  Orton,  Doddridge's  first  and  princi 
pal  biographer,  states  that  his  remarks  on  Homer 
were  sufficient  to  form  a  considerable  volume. 

We  seldom  read  the  lives  of  distinguished  ser 
vants  of  God  without  being  impressed  with  the  divine 
goodness  in  preserving  them  from  death  in  seasons  of 
imminent  danger.  Doddridge  furnished  no  exception 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  61 

to  this  remark.  In  1725  he  had  paid  a  visit  to  his 
sister  in  the  neighborhood  of  London,  and  on  his  re 
turn,  under  the  date  of  September  22,  he  wrote  to  her, 
describing  the  dangers  in  which  he  had  been  placed, 
and  his  remarkable  deliverance.  After  telling  her  of 
his  being  one  afternoon  thrown  twice  over  the  head 
of  his  horse,  he  goes  on  to  say,  "As  we  were  going, 
on  Thursday  morning,  from  Newport  to  Bedford,  I 
escaped  a  much  greater  danger,  and  desire  to  acknow 
ledge  it  with  hearty  thanks  to  the  care  of  Providence 
which  preserved  me  in  it.  We  were  coming  along  in 
a  narrow  lane,  and  met  with  I  know  not  how  many 
wagons  of  coals.  I  was  aware  of  the  difficulty,  and 
endeavored  to  guard  against  it;  but  my  horse  being 
a  little  frighted  at  the  ditch  on  one  side,  started 
and  came  too  near  the  wagons  on  the  other.  There 
was  a  sudden  turn  in  the  road  which  I  did  not  ob 
serve,  which  just  at  the  time  threw  the  wagon  on 
towards  me,  so  that  my  foot  was  caught  in  one  of  the 
wheels  and  whirled  round  with  it  for  a  part  of  its 
course,  and  the  other  came  so  near  me  after  I  was 
entangled,  that  all  the  lower  part  of  my  right  side 
and  my  horse's  shoulder  were  covered  with  its  dirt ; 
and  yet,  through  the  goodness  of  God,  I  got  not  the 
least  harm,  not  so  much  as  a  strain  or  bruise." 

To  the  Rev.  Samuel  Clarke. 

" HARBOROUGH,  June  11,  1726. 

"  I  generally  spend  two  hours  a  day  in  the  classic's, 
one  in  Greek  and  the  other  in  Latin.  I  have  lately 
been  reading  some  of  the  '  Orations  of  Demosthenes/ 
which  gave  me  very  agreeable  entertainment.  'Vir 
gil's  ^Eneid7  charms  me  more  than  it  ever  did  before. 


62  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

I  am  wonderfully  taken  with  the  ease  and  elegance  of 
'Pliny's  Epistles/  and  with  the  description  he  gives 
of  his  own  temper  and  behavior,  which  seems  to  me 
very  amiable  and  instructive.  There  are  indeed  some 
admirable  epistles  in  the  Latin,  which  one  can  hardly 
bear  to  read  in  English;  for  though  the  thoughts 
are  retained,  and  the  translation  is  sometimes  almost 
literal,  an  affectation  of  .humor  and  drollery  makes 
many  passages  mean  and  nauseous,  which,  in  Pliny,  are 
exceedingly  pleasant,  and  yet  perfectly  elegant  and 
genteel.  I  think  this  observation  may  be  applied  to 
most  of  the  English  translations  of  the  comedies, 
especially  to  those  from  Terence. 

"My  very  humble  service  waits  upon  your  good 
lady.  Pray  assure  her  that  there  is  no  one  woman  in 
the  world  that  can  destroy  my  esteem  for  her  sex, 
while  she,  and  so  many  others  whom  I  have  the  hap 
piness  of  being  acquainted  with,  are  doing  so  much 
to  establish  and  increase  it.  I  am  exceedingly  obliged, 
sir,  for  the  favor  of  your  invitation  to  St.  Albans.  I 
am  sure  I  do  not  want  inclination  to  comply  with  it, 
but  I  am  chained  down  to  the  care  of  two  congrega 
tions  which  are  for  a  while  fallen  into  my  hands,  so 
that  I  hardly  know  whether  I  shall  be  able  to  break 
loose  for  one  Lord's  day  this  summer.  However,  you 
may  depend  upon  it  that  I  will  attempt  it,  if  it  be 
possible." 

To  the  Rev.  Nathaniel  "Wood,  D.  D. 

"  June  11,  1726. 

"Pray  remember  Philip  Doddridge,  or  he  will  do 
his  best  to  forget  you." 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  63 

To  Mr.  Hughes. 

"June  28,  1726.     Midnight. 

"As  for  yours  of  the  20th  of  April,  I  have  run  it 
over  so  often  that  I  can  say  a  good  deal  of  it  by  heart. 
I  am  essentially  obliged  to  you  for  your  correspond 
ence.  You  know  that  I  am  naturally  of  a  social 
temper,  and  you  continue,  in  the  abundance  of  your 
humanity,  not  only  to  give  me  pleasure  in  perusing 
your  letters  myself,  but  enable  me  to  entertain  my 
friends  by  communicating  them ;  for  I  read  the  greater 
part  of  them  to  all  the  persons  of  taste  and  politeness 
with  whom  I  am  conversant,  and  they  all  seem  to  be 
charmed  with  the  sentiments.  Indeed,  though  they 
become  perfectly  familiar  to  me,  I  always  read  them 
with  new  pleasure,  and  am  as  much  transported  with 
the  twentieth  rehearsal  as  I  am  at  the  first  perusal. 

"  You  recommended  Pliny.  I  immediately  pro 
cured  him,  and  there  is  seldom  a  day  in  which  I  do 
not  read  two  or  three  of  his  epistles.  I  had  before 
heard  several  very  high  encomiums  upon  him,  but 
nothing  gave  me  so  lively  an  idea  of  his  excellence 
as  to  observe  the  perfection  to  which  you  have  arrived 
by  studying  him,  for  every  letter  of  yours  is  a  pane 
gyric  upon  Pliny,  though  you  do  not  mention  his 
name.  Let  me  entreat  you  to  go  on  thus  to  recom 
mend  him,  and  to  increase  those  pleasing  expectations 
with  which  I  take  him  into  my  hand.  However,  take 
care  you  do  not  so  far  exceed  him  as  to  spoil  my 
relish,  for  then  you  would  rob  me  of  one  of  the  most 
elegant  amusements  of  my  life ;  nor  can  I  imagine  how 
you  would  be  able  to  make  me  amends  in  any  other 
way  than  by  the  frequency  of  your  own  letters." 


64  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

To  the  Rev.  John  Nettleton. 

"  HAKBOROUGH,  June  9,  1726.      ) 
Wednesday  morning,  8  o'clock,  j 

"  DEAR  BROTHER — I  was  up  at  five  o'clock  this 
morning,  and  I  have  been  all  this  while  studying  the 
connection  of  a  short  section  in  the  Romans  and  writ 
ing  letters.  Nay,  at  this  very  moment  Demosthenes 
is  waiting  to  entertain  me  with  one  of  his  Philippics, 
and  Virgil  is  bringing  back  ^Eneas  to  his  camp,  where 
I  have  long  been  waiting  in  pain  for  his  absence. 
Dr.  Tillotson  has  also  prepared  an  admirable  sermon, 
which  he  will  quickly  deliver  in  my  chamber  with  his 
usual  grace  and  sweetness.  And  then  Gerard  Brant 
will  go  on  with  his  history  of  the  Persecution  of  the 
Remonstrants,  after  their  condemnation  at  the  Synod 
of  Dort.  In  the  afternoon  I  expect  to  hear  from 
Pliny,  who  generally  favors  me  with  two  or  three 
epistles  in  a  day,  though  a  stranger  and  a  heathen; 
while  you,  a  Christian  minister  and  my  brother,  will 
hardly  write  once  in  a  quarter  of  a  year.  Dr.  Potter 
is  instructing  me  in  '  Grecian  Antiquities ;'  but  I  fear 
I  shall  hardly  have  time  to  speak  with  him  to-day. 
However,  I  will,  if  possible,  attend  upon  my  tutor 
Cradock  in  the  morning,  who  is  lecturing  on  the 
epistles  with  great  accuracy  and  solidity.  Besides 
this,  I  have  a  little  kind  of  a  sermon  to  preach  in  the 
family,  according  to  my  daily  custom,  and  three  or 
four  letters  to  transcribe  into  shorthand. 

"  Now  I  will  leave  you,  who  are  one  of  the  great 
est  clerks  I  know,  to  judge  whether  all  this  business 
will  leave  me  time  to  say  any  more  than,  How  does 
my  dear  sister?  Give  my  service  to  her." 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  65 

To  the  Rev.  Samuel  Clarke. 

"  September  20,  1726. 

"  Jnst  as  I  was  writing  this,  good  Mrs.  Jennings 
came  into  my  study.  I  know  not  what  trifling  occa 
sion  brought  her  hither,  but  I  am  sure  it  was  a  happy 
accident  for  me.  I  have  now,  for  half  an  hour,  been 
entertained  with  as  much  piety  and  good  sense,  and 
expressions  of  generous,  undissembled  friendship,  as 
could  be  crowded  into  so  little  time.  She  told  me — • 
what  I  am  so  much  charmed  with  that  I  cannot  con 
ceal  it  from  you,  nor  could  I  hear  it,  nor  indeed  can  I 
write  it,  without  tears — that  she  is  '  relying  on  my 
conversation  and  friendship  as  one  of  the  greatest 
pleasures  of  her  life,  and  that  she  is  often  blessing 
God  for  the  kind  providence  that  brought  me  into 
her  family.'  Do  not  impute  it  to  any  vanity  that  I 
repeat  this  language,  for  I  really  think  such  a  feeling 
has  no  part  in  the  matter.  She  indeed  thinks  more 
favorably  of  me  by  far  than  I  deserve :  but  that  mis 
take  is  my  happiness.  You,  sir,  that  are  blessed  in  the 
enjoyment  of  Mrs.  Clarke,  know  the  exquisite  pleasure 
of  being  esteemed  by  a  woman  of  an  amiable  charac 
ter  ;  and  as  I  rejoice  that  you  have  such  a  wife,  so  I 
am  willing  that  you  should  take  part  in  the  satisfac 
tion  I  have  in  the  society  of  such  a  friend.  With 
how  much  pleasure  do  I  think  that  Providence  has 
favored  me  with  an  opportunity  of  serving  her  in 
those  interests  which  above  all  others  are  dear  to 
her,  the  instruction  of  her  children  and  her  spiritual 
edification.  As  I  question  not  that  you  are  often 
praying  for  me,  so  I  beg  you  would  join  with  me  in 


66  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

returning  thanks  to  that  God  who  has  made  such  a 
gracious  and  indulgent  provision  for  my  happiness. 

"  While  I  am  above  in  my  study,  I  find  such  enter 
tainment  in  my  books  that  I  think  I  should  be  happy 
though  I  lived  in  a  wilderness,  and  had  no  human 
creature  to  converse  with;  and  when  I  come  down 
stairs,  I  am  ready  to  forget  that  I  have  a  study,  and 
to  think  I  might  daily  grow  wiser,  though  every  book 
but  my  Bible  were  in  another  country.  The  lines 
are  indeed  fallen  to  me  in  pleasant  places;  and  I 
often  think  that  two  such  friends  as  Mrs.  Jennings 
and  Mr.  Clarke  are  more  than  one  man  can  reasonably 
expect,  and  I  heartily  wish  that  I  may  be  enabled  to 
behave  so  that  neither  you  nor  she  may  have  reason 
to  repent  of  that  share  in  your  esteem  and  affection 
with  which  you  have  honored  your  most  obliged  and 
most  affectionate  humble  servant, 

"PHILIP  DODDRIDGE." 

To  Mr.  John  Masse y. 

"November  20,  1726. 

"You  urge  me  to  send  you  some  directions  upon  the 
management  of  your  studies. 

"  Let  us  remember,  my  dear  friend,  that  we  are  to 
place  our  point  of  life,  not  in  an  attempt  to  know  or 
do  every  thing,  which  will  certainly  be  as  unsuccess 
ful  as  it  is  extravagant,  but  in  a  care  to  do  that  well 
which  Providence  has  assigned  us  in  our  peculiar 
sphere.  As  I  am  a  minister,  I  could  not  answer  it  to 
God  or  my  own  conscience,  if  I  were  to  spend  a  great 
deal  of  time  in  studying  the  depths  of  the  law,  or  in 
the  more  entertaining  though  less  useful  pursuit  of  a 
nice  criticism  of  classical  writers.  I  would  not  be 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  61 

entirely  a  stranger  to  these  things,  and  there  are 
twenty  others  I  would  just  look  into,  although  each 
of  them  alone,  or  indeed  any  single  branch  of  either, 
might  be  the  employment  of  a  much  longer  life  than 
I  can  imagine  Providence  has  assigned  to  me.  Should 
I  suffer  my  few  sheep  in  the  wilderness  to  go  astray, 
in  an  ignorance  of  their  Bible  and  in  a  stupid  neglect 
of  their  eternal  salvation,  while  I  was  too  busy  to 
reclaim  them,  God  would  call  it  but  laborious  idle 
ness,  and  I  must  give  up  my  account  with  shame  and 
confusion. 

"  The  thought,  my  friend,  may  be  applied,  with  a 
very  little  variation,  to  you.  It  is  in  the  capacity  of 
a  tradesman  that  you  are  to  serve  your  family  and 
country,  and,  in  them,  your  God;  and  therefore, 
although  I  would  not  have  so  fine  a  genius  discour 
aged  from  entertaining  itself  with  the  refined  pleas 
ures  of  a  student,  yet  it  would  be  imprudence  towards 
yourself  and  an  injury  to  the  world  to  spend  so  much 
time  in  your  closet  as  to  neglect  your  warehouse,  and 
to  be  so  much  taken  up  with  volumes  of  philosophy, 
history,  poetry,  or  divinity,  as  to  forget  to  look  into 
your  ledger.  But  above  all,  sir,  let  it  be  your  constant 
concern  that  study  may  not  interfere  with  devotion, 
nor  engross  that  valuable  time  which  should  be  conse 
crated  to  the  immediate  service  of  your  God.  God  is 
the  Father  of  our -spirits,  and  it  is  upon  this  sacred 
influence  that  they  depend  for  an  improvement  in 
knowledge  as  well  as  in  holiness.  Now  if  we  are 
abandoned  by  Him,  our  genius  will  flag,  and  all  our 
thoughts  become  languid  and  confused;  and  it  will 
be  in  vain  that  we  seek  the  assistance  of  books :  for 


68  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

when  He  ceases  to  act  by  them,  the  most  sprightly 
writers  will  appear  dull,  the  most  perspicuous  ob 
scure,  and  the  most  judicious  trifling ;  whereas,  if  we 
entertain  a  continual  regard  to  Him  in  the  constant 
exercise  of  lively  devotion,  we  shall  engage  his  assist 
ance  and  blessing  in  our  studies,  and  then  our  success 
will  quickly  appear  to  ourselves  and  to  others;  the 
most  difficult  task  will  be  easy,  and  we  shall  dispatch 
more  in  an  hour  than  we  could  otherwise  have  done 
in  a  day. 

"  But,  what  is  still  more  desirable,  when  we  are 
conversing  with  God  we  are  preparing  for  that  world 
of  light  where  our  capacity  will  be  most  gloriously 
improved;  where  we  shall  be  surrounded  by  the 
wisest  and  best  society,  who  will  be  opening  daily 
new  scenes  of  knowledge,  and  where  God  will  reveal 
fresh  objects  by  a  more  direct  influence  upon  our 
spirits  than  any  which  we  have  hitherto  known  in 
our  brightest  or  serenest  moments.  Let  us  be  diligent 
and  zealous  in  the  service  of  our  God,  and  we  shall  be 
excellent  scholars  a  thousand  years  hence;  while  those 
who  have  made  the  greatest  improvement  in  human 
knowledge,  living  in  the  neglect  of  God,  are  forgot 
ten,  or  rather,  are  consigned  to  the  gloom  of  ever 
lasting  darkness.  Let  us  remember  that  by  every 
hour  which  we  unduly  take  from  God  to  give  to  our 
books,  we  forfeit  some  degree  of  future  happiness, 
which  might  have  been  the  reward  of  that  hour  had 
we  spent  it  aright.  And  when  we  consider  that 
knowledge  is  a  part  of  the  happiness  of  heaven,  we 
shall  certainly  find  that,  in  the  long  run,  we  lose  a 
great  deal  more  than  we  gain  by  such  sacrilegious 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  69 

encroachments,  even  though  our  studies  should  suc 
ceed  much  more  prosperously  than  we  have  reason  to 
expect." 

To  Mr.  G-eorge  Hughes. 

"  November  27,  1726. 

"  I  begin  with  petitioning  you  for  a  favor,  which  I 
hope  to  obtain  without  much  difficulty.  Nothing  can 
conduce  more  to  our  present  tranquillity  and  future 
happiness  than  a  steady  and  affectionate  belief  of  a 
continual  force  in  the  principles  of  natural  and  re 
vealed  religion;  and  I  have  found  my  faith  in  them 
much  confirmed  by  an  examination  of  those  parts  of 
the  subject  by  which  the  patrons  of  infidelity  have 
endeavored  to  destroy  it.  An  atheist  or  a  deist  is  a 
monstrous  kind  of  creature,  which  in  the  country  we 
only  know  by  report ;  but  I  infer  that  you  gentlemen 
of  the  town  meet  with  them  too  frequently.  Now  I 
desire,  sir,  that  if  you  should  hear  any  of  them  reflect 
upon  religion  in  general,  or  Christianity  in  particular, 
as  an  irrational  enthusiasm,  you  will  please  inquire 
into  their  reasons  for  such  a  censure ;  and  if  you  find 
any  thing  new  or  curious  in  them,  do  me  the  favor 
to  transmit  them  to  me.  I  shall  be  glad  to  pursue 
the  thought  as  far  as  I  can,  and  will  most  cheerfully 
submit  my  reflections  to  your  examination  and  amend 
ment. 

"  Besides  this,  sir,  I  desire  that  you  would  favor 
me  with  an  account  of  any  book  which  you  think  of 
value,  or  which  bears  a  character  in  town ;  and  I,  on 
the  other  hand,  will  freely  communicate  my  sentiments 
as  to  any  that  I  have  an  opportunity  of  perusing. 

"  I  have  no  room  to  add  any  thing  but  my  most 


70  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

affectionate  wishes  and  prayers  that  the  divine  favor 
may  attend  us  both  in  every  circumstance  of  our 
present  and  future  existence,  and  that  there  may  be 
the  same  security  to  you  as  there  is  to  me  that  the 
correspondence  we  are  entering  into  will  be  managed 
so  as  may  be  most  conducive  to  our  mutual  entertain 
ment  and  improvement.  We  are  to  answer  to  God  for 
the  time  we  spend  in  writing  to  each  other,  as  well  as  in 
other  employments  and  amusements.  May  we  be  able 
to  give  up  this  account  with  comfort  and  cheerfulness, 
as  having  devoted  our  common  friendship  principally 
to  the  service  of  that  most  indulgent  Benefactor  to 
whom  we  are  obliged  for  all  its  pleasures." 

To  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hughes. 

"November  30,  1726. 

"I  have  not  time  to  mention  the  books  I  have 
lately  read,  and  will  only  tell  you  that  I  have  gone 
over  the  three  volumes  of  Burnet's  History  of  the 
Reformation  with  a  great  deal  of  care.  I  likewise 
read  the  records  at  the  end,  if  they  seemed  to  prom 
ise  any  thing  curious,  and  was  exceedingly  entertain 
ed  by  several.  Hardly  any  thing  charmed  me  more 
than  the  letters  at  the  end  of  the  first  volume,  which 
passed  between  the  most  celebrated  reformers  in  Eng 
land  and  at  Zurich.  You  will  hardly  believe  it,  but 
I  assure  you  it  is  my  settled  judgment,  that  Jewell 
writes  with  almost  as  much  simplicity,  elegance,  con 
sistency,  and  spirit,  as  Pliny  himself;  indeed,  there 
seems  to  be  a  very  remarkable  resemblance  in  their 
manner. 

"  1  return  your  sermon,  and  will  reform  so  much 
upon  your  late  admonition,  as  not  to  say  a  word  by 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  71 

way  of  panegyric ;  and  it  is  a  happy  rebuke  that  de 
livers  me  from  a  task  to  which  my  capacity  is  by  no 
means  equal.  I  must,  however,  add,  that  when  I  read 
it  last  night,  by  way  of  taking  my  farewell,  it  kept 
me  awake,  as  the  victories  of  Miltiades  did  Themis- 
tocles. 

"  I  likewise  send  you  my  sermon,  which  I  have 
left  Master  Arthur  Jennings  to  transcribe  from  my 
notes.  It  was  preached  in  my  usual  way,  and  has 
little  to  recommend  it  to  your  approbation.  I  send 
it  to  you  to  be  examined  and  corrected,  and  then 
returned.  If  you  would  see  it  to  the  best  advantage, 
let  Mr.  Wood  read  it  at  some  leisure  hour.  He  heard 
it,  and  can  witness  for  me  that  it  is  just  as  I  delivered 
it.  I  have  this  comfort  in  sending  it  to  you,  that  the 
best  judges  are  always  the  most  candid,  and  that  your 
friendship  will  so  dazzle  your  eyes  that  you  will  either 
find  or  make  beauties." 

To  the  Rev.  Samuel  Clarke. 

"I  have  lately  been  reading  the  three  folios  of 
Burnet's  History  of  the  Reformation  in  England,  with 
more  pleasure  than  I  can  express.  He  appears  to  be 
one  of  the  most  masterly  writers ;  he  always  retains  a 
sense  of  the  dignity  of  his  subject,  and  writes  with  a 
majesty  worthy  of  it.  He  does  not  study  the  orna 
ments  of  style,  but  expresses  himself  with  plainness 
and  propriety,  and  always  appears  to  have  a  most 
sincere  regard  to  truth,  even  when  it  is  least  honor 
able  to  the  character  of  the  bright  hero  of  his  history. 
The  third  volume  is  a  supplement  to  the  former,  and 
contains  many  valuable  passages.  He  there  corrects 
all  the  mistakes  which  in  thirty  years  he  had  discov- 


72  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

ered  in  the  former  parts,  and  states  them  with  an  air 
of  candor  that  establishes  his  character  for  veracity  on 
the  surest  foundation,  and  reflects  honor  on  the  other 
parts  of  his  performance,  of  which  it  would  not  other 
wise  be  susceptible.  The  records  which  he  throws 
into  the  appendix  are  admirable  testimonials  of  the 
truth  of  his  history,  and  illustrate  the  circumstances 
of  many  facts  and  characters. 

"  I  have  been  reading  '  Lucretius '  with  much  care. 
He  is  indeed,  as  he  is  commonly  esteemed,  a  charm 
ing  poet,  but  he  is  a  most  contemptible  philosopher ; 
nor  have  I  yet  met  with  a  writer  whose  descriptions 
are  finer,  and  whose  arguments  were  meaner.  I  think 
he  was  no  fitter  to  write  'De  Rerum  Natura/  than  a 
fine  landscape  painter  would  be  to  compose  a  treatise 
on  anatomy.  Creech's  translation  is  so  sorrily  done, 
that  I  should  wonder  at  the  applause  it  has  met  with 
in  the  world,  if  I  did  not  know  it  is  a  common  thing 
to  give  a  character  of  a  translation  without  compar 
ing  it  with  the  original. 

"I  have  lately  read  '  Howe  on  the  Spirit.7  There 
are  many  very  useful  observations  in  it.  He  every 
where  breathes  a  most  excellent  temper  •  and  I  think 
one  may  see  more  of  the  man,  and  of  his  way  of 
preaching  by  this  than  by  any  other  of  his  works 
which  I  have  yet  perused." 

To  the  Lady  Russell. 

"  April  10. 

"  It  grieves  me  to  be  the  messenger  of  such  news 
as  will  afflict  Lady  Russell ;  but  Mr.  Some  wishes  me 
to  inform  your  ladyship  that  it  has  pleased  God  to 
remove  my  dear  friend,  his  son,  in  the  afternoon  of 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIED.  13 

yesterday.  He  had  lain  several  days  in  a  very  com 
fortable  and  cheering  frame  of  mind ;  and  a  few  min 
utes  before  his  death,  expressed  a  very  cheerful  hope 
of  future  glory.  He  has  appointed  me  to  preach  at 
his  funeral,  which  will  be  on  Wednesday,  from  Psalm 
73:26,  'My  flesh  and  my  heart  fail,  but  God  is  the 
strength  of  my  heart,  and  my  portion  for  ever  ;7  a  pas 
sage  which  he  often  repeated  with  great  pleasure  in 
the  near  view  of  an  eternal  world. 

"  To  reflect  that  God  is  the  portion  of  our  friends 
who  are  sleeping  in  death,  and  that  he  will  be  our 
everlasting  portion  and  inheritance,  is  certainly  the 
noblest  support  under  such  afflictions — a  support  of 
which  I  question  not  that  your  ladyship  has  often  felt 
the  importance ;  and  yet,  madam,  though  this  consid 
eration  may  moderate  our  sorrows,  it  will  not  entirely 
silence  or  dispel  them.  For  my  own  part,  though  I 
have  been  in  daily  expectation  of  my  friend's  death 
for  several  months  together,  yet  it  strikes  me  more 
deeply  than  I  can  easily  express,  and  gives  me  for  the 
present  a  disrelish  to  all  those  employments  or  thoughts 
which  do  not  immediately  relate  to  that  world  to 
which  he  is  gone.  Yet,  in  the  midst  ef  my  sorrow,  it 
is  with  pleasure  that  I  reflect  on  the  goodness  of  God 
in  continuing  to  me  so  many  other  excellent  friends, 
and  among  them  the  good  Lady  Russell,  who  is  an 
extensive  blessing  to  the  world,  and  an  ornament  to 
that  exalted  station  in  which  Providence  has  placed 
her.  May  mankind  be  as  ready  to  imitate  your  char 
acter  as  they  are  to  applaud  it,  and  then  I  shall  hard 
ly  be  able  to  wish  them  any  greater  good." 


74  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

To  Mrs.  Hannah  Clarke. 

"  April  19,  1727. 

"  On  Lord's-day  evening,  as  I  returned  from  Kib- 
worth,  I  called  to  see  a  dear  and  intimate  friend,  Mr. 
David  Some,  who  used  frequently  to  accompany  me 
thither,  and  who  had  been  for  a  considerable  time  in 
a  delirious  state,  when,  to  my  unspeakable  grief,  I 
found  him  dead.  It  is  impossible  for  me  to  express 
how  much  it  struck  my  mind.  Never  have  I  seen  in 
any  person  of  his  age,  which  was  only  twenty,  such 
an  agreeable  mixture  of  piety,  wit,  learning,  honor, 
politeness,  sweetness  of  temper,  modesty,  prudence, 
universal  charity,  and  the  most  endearing  friendship : 
in  one  word,  he  had  every  quality  that  could  adorn 
the  Christian,  the  scholar,  or  the  man.  You  will 
then  easily  believe  that  he  must  have  been  unusually 
beloved  in  life  and  lamented  in  death. 

"  What  can  you  then  imagine  me  to  have  felt,  who 
was  of  all  others,  except  his  parents,  his  most  intimate 
companion  and  friend  ?  We  were  brought  up  togeth 
er  at  Mr.  Jennings',  and  in  the  same  class,  and  we 
there  formed  a  most  endearing  friendship,  which  has 
been  ever  since  increasing.  He  used  to  accompany 
me  to  Kibworth  on  the  Lord's  day,  and  surely  he 
could  not  receive  more  advantage  from  the  best  of  my 
sermons  than  I  did  ever  from  his  conversation  on  the 
way.  I  could  not  forbear  making  repeated  visits  to 
the  corpse  while  it  yet  lay  unboiled;  and  though, 
from  a  bloom  and  regularity  of  beauty  which  I  have 
seldom  observed,  it  has  withered  to  a  skeleton,  yet  I 
hardly  knew  how  to  leave  it,  but  could  have  dwelt 
for  hours  together  on  those  dear  cold  lips.  When  I 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  75 

followed  him  to  the  grave,  I  almost  thought  I  should 
have  shared  it  with  him,  for  I  was  nearly  strangled 
in  striving  to  repress  those  external  marks  of  inward 
anguish  which  might  seem  indecent  in  one  of  my  sex 
and  character ;  bnt  all  my  efforts  were  vain,  and  while 
I  was  in  the  church  I  could  not  forbear  bursting  into 
such  a  flood  of  tears  as  I  have  never  shown  upon  any 
other  occasion.  My  spirits  were  so  exhausted  with 
sorrow,  that  I  should  have  been  utterly  unfit  for  social 
conversation  for  the  rest  of  the  evening:  how  hard 
then  was  my  task,  when  I  was  obliged  to  go  from  his 
grave  into  the  pulpit,  and  to  preach  to  one  of  the 
most  numerous  auditories  I  ever  saw.  You  will  be 
surprised  to  hear,  that  while  I  was  preaching  I  did 
not  shed  a  tear ;  yet  I  think  I  could  have  died  to  re 
store  him  to  the  world,  which  has  sustained  so  inex 
pressible  a  loss  by  his  death." 

Among  the  ministers  in  the  neighborhood  of  Kib- 
worth  with  whom  Doddridge  had  already  formed  a 
ministerial  friendship,  was  the  Rev.  Thomas  Saunders, 
who  had  settled  as  pastor  of  the  Congregational  church 
at  Kettring,  in  1721 .  He  was  a  lineal  descendant  from 
the  martyr  of  the  same  name,  who  was  burnt  in  the 
reign  of  the  bloody  Mary,  and  was  himself  in  early 
life  a  servant  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  He  labored  with 
much  success  at  Kettring  till  1736,  when,  at  the  age 
of  forty-two  years,  he  was  called  to  his  gracious  and 
eternal  reward.  We  shall  often  meet  with  him  as 
the  correspondent  and  counsellor  of  Doddridge. 


76  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

To  the  Rev.  Thomas  Saunders. 

"  December  2,  1727. 

"  How  was  it  possible  for  you  to  write  such  a  let 
ter  as  I  received  last  night?  You  are  always  kind 
and  good,  and  always  more  partial  in  favor  of  my 
character  than  any  other  person  I  know  in  the  world  • 
and  to  tell  you  the  plain  truth,  I  would  have  you  con 
tinue  to  be  so;  for  if  it  were  not  for  that  happy 
partiality,  you  would  hardly  think  me  worthy  of  your 
friendship.  You  can  never  displease  me  by  expres 
sions  of  tenderness,  for  I  love  you  so  well  that  I  would 
have  as  much  of  your  heart  as  one  creature  ought  to 
have  of  another's,  and  I  look  upon  your  fond  regard 
as  my  glory.  But,  my  dear  friend,  you  must  forbear 
these  expressions  of  unreasonable  esteem. 

"I  have  this  morning  been  humbling  myself  before 
God  for  the  pride  of  my  heart.  It  follows  me  whith 
ersoever  I  go :  into  my  study,  into  the  conversation 
of  my  friends,  and  what  is  most  dreadful  of  all,  into 
the  presence  of  my  Maker — of  that  God  who  is  the 
fountain  of  all  perfection,  from  whose  hands  I  have 
received  all,  and  from  whom  I  have  deserved  an  ag 
gravated  condemnation.  Such  is  the  subtilty  of  this 
insinuating  mischief,  that  I  can  recollect  instances  in 
which  I  have  been  proud  of  having  exposed  the  de 
formity  of  pride  with  success,  while  perhaps  it  was 
only  another  instance  of  my  degeneracy  to  imagine 
that  I  had  so  succeeded.  Why  then  must  your  com 
plaisance  add  fuel  to  a  fire  which  I  sometimes  fear 
will  burn  up  all  my  grace  and  my  religion?  How 
hard  is  it  to  keep  self  in  self-subjection.  This  you 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  77 

have  taught  me  as  well  as  man  can  teach  it,  but  God 
alone  can  make  the  excellent  lesson  effectual.  I  can 
not  lay  a  scheme  for  the  honor  of  my  God  and  the 
benefit  of  the  world,  but  self  intrudes  itself,  and  that 
sometimes  to  such  a  degree  as  to  make  me  doubt 
whether  the  governing  principle  be  not  wrong,  and 
whether  many  of  my  most  valuable  actions  and  de 
signs  be  not  splendida  peccata.  Alas,  such  is  your 
'  pious  and  excellent '  friend. 

"You  compliment  me  on  the  learning  and  accuracy 
of  my  views.  How  are  you  deceived  !  I  have  hardly 
looked  into  many  of  the  most  excellent  treatises  of 
the  ancient  and  modern  commentators,  and  have  only 
dipped  into  some  others  so  far  as  to  see  that  there 
was  a  great  deal  that  I  was  not  capable  of  compre 
hending,  at  least  without  a  long  course  of  preparatory 
study.  There  is  hardly  a  chapter  in  the  Bible  which 
does  not  puzzle  me,  nor,  in  short,  any  considerable 
subject  of  human  inquiry  in  which  I  do  not  perceive 
both  my  ignorance  and  my  weakness. 

"Were  there  any  thing  which  could  seem  a  just 
excuse  for  my  vanity,  it  would  indeed  be,  that  you  and 
some  other  such  excellent  persons  profess  not  only  to 
love,  but  to  respect  me;  but  I  am  persuaded,  nay,  I 
certainly  know  it  is  only  because  a  great  portion  of 
my  ignorance  and  folly  lies  hid ;  otherwise  you  would 
all  but  pity  or  despise  me.  And  when  I  consider  your 
humility  in  admitting  me  to  such  an  intimate  friend 
ship,  and  in  thinking  so  honorably  of  me,  I  see  the 
greater  reason  to  be  abashed  at  the  reflection  that  I 
have  learned  no  more  of  that  amiable  grace,  with  so 
bright  an  example  before  me,  and  in  one  whom  I  love 


78  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

so  well  that  it  might  be  expected  that  I  should  imi 
tate  him  with  a  peculiar  pleasure. 

"  Let  me  beg  your  pity  and  your  prayers ;  love  me 
as  well  as  you  can,  but  pray  that  I  may  deserve  your 
affection  better." 

From  the  Rev.  Samuel  Clarke. 

"December  18,1727. 

"As  to  the  proposal  of  your  teaching  academical 
learning,  though  I  doubt  not  that  the  furniture  you 
now  have,  together  with  what  you  might  acquire  in  a 
few  years  of  continued  study,  would  abundantly  quali 
fy  you  to  undertake  it,  yet  as  God  has  given  you  a 
genius  and  abilities  peculiarly  fitted  for  the  pulpit,  it 
seems  most  desirable  that  you  should  be  in  a  situation 
where  those  talents  may  be  improved  and  employed 
to  the  greatest  advantage,  and  which  would,  in  all 
probability,  be  rather  obscured  by  the  other  course  of 
life.  If  therefore  Providence  should  open  a  way  for 
your  settling  in  London,  or  any  other  considerable 
town,  I  think  it  should  not  be  rejected  for  the  sake 
of  any  views  of  the  other  sort." 

To  Miss  Horseman. 

"  December  20,  1727. 

"  I  have  just  received  the  melancholy  news  of  your 
accident,  and  the  sad  consequences  with  which  it  has 
been  attended ;  and  indeed  I  cannot  set  myself  to  any 
other  business  until  I  have  taken  a  few  minutes  to  tell 
you  how  sensibly  I  sympathize  in  your  sorrows. 

"  I  knew  that  my  friendship  for  you  was  both  sin 
cere  and  tender,  but  I  was  not  fully  apprized  of  its 
degree,  until  it  pleased  God  to  visit  you  with  the 


HIS   THEOLOGICAL   STUDIES.  79 

affliction  which  now  lies  so  heavily  upon  you,  and 
gives  you  a  title  to  the  compassion  of  strangers,  and 
how  much  more  to  that  of  your  friends.  But  alas, 
how  vain  is  the  compassion  of  human  friends  in  a 
case  like  yours ;  and  indeed  friendship,  when  left  to 
herself,  too  frequently  can  only  sit  down  and  weep 
over  the  calamities  which  she  knows  not  how  to 
relieve.  Therefore,  madam,  I  would  most  importu 
nately  recommend  you  to  the  compassion  of  that  God 
who  can  raise  you  out  of  all  your  sufferings,  and  can 
even  make  your  affliction  the  means  of  your  happiness. 
How  happy  should  I  esteem  myself  if  I  might  be  in 
any  degree  an  instrument  in  his  hand  of  promoting  so 
excellent  a  service  as  the  spiritual  improvement  of 
this  afflictive  providence. 

"Permit  me,  madam,  humbly  to  attempt  it,  and 
hastily  to  mention  a  few  serious  hints,  which  I  imag 
ine  may  be  peculiarly  suitable  to  your  present  cir 
cumstances. 

"Allow  me  then  to  urge  that  submission  to  the 
Divine  will  which  becomes  us  under  every  chastisement. 
But  this  is,  no  doubt,  your  frequent  reflection  and  dis 
course.  I  am  fully  persuaded,  madam,  that  you  do 
not  allow  yourself  to  murmur  and  repine  against  the 
Lord  who  smiteth  you.  But  pardon  me  if  I  inquire 
whether  you  be  not  too  ready  to  forget  your  obliga 
tions  to  love  and  praise.  I  consider  it  as  one  of  the 
greatest  defects  in  the  character  of  some  good  people, 
and  as  the  foundation  of  many  visible  irregularities, 
that  they  do  not  more  delight  in  the  contemplation 
and  praise  of  God.  Too  much  is  this  excellent  work 
neglected  in  the  midst  of  health  and  prosperity ;  but 


80  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

when  affliction  comes,  and  especially  when  it  comes  in 
so  fearful  a  form  as  this  which  has  lately  visited  you, 
a  Christian  is  too  ready  to  imagine  that  it  is  enough 
to  be  quiet  and  resigned,  and  that  he  is  fairly  excused 
from  such  delightful  exercises  of  soul,  which  seem  un 
suitable  to  so  gloomy  a  season.  But  let  us  learn  to 
correct  so  unreasonable  a  thought,  and  surely  a  little 
reflection  may  teach  us  so  to  do. 

"  With  regard  to  your  present  circumstances — you 
are  exercised  by  an  injury,  the  anguish  of  which 
may  probably  exceed  the  imagination  of  those  who 
have  not  known  it  by  experience;  but  is  it  not  a 
just  foundation  of  joy  and  of  praise  that  your  life  is 
still  prolonged  ?  It  is  true  that  your  behavior,  so  far 
as  I  have  had  the  opportunity  of  observing  it,  has 
been  such  as  could  not  deserve  so  much  as  the  tender- 
est  reproof  of  friendship;  but  you  will  humbly  ac 
knowledge,  what  indeed  no  human  creature  can  deny, 
that  an  omniscient  and  holy  God  has  seen  many  of 
fences,  even  in  a  life  which  to  men  has  appeared  most 
unexceptionable  and  most  amiable.  And  you  are 
not  to  learn  that  the  smallest  violation  of  his  sacred 
law  may  justly  expose  us  to  all  the  miseries  of  a  future 
state.  And  is  it  not  then  a  matter  of  praise,  that  you 
are  yet  in  the  land  of  the  living,  and  within  the  reach 
of  pardon  and  hope  ?  Nay,  1  do  verily  believe  that 
through  divine  grace  you  are  already  in  a  state  of 
reconciliation  and  favor  with  God,  and  in  the  way  to 
everlasting  happiness;  and  when  you  think  of  the 
glory  that  shall  be  revealed,  and  think  of  your  own 
interest  in  it,  surely  your  heart  might  overflow  with 
thankfulness  and  joy,  though  your  present  agonies 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  81 

were  multiplied  upon  you.  These,  madam,  are  noble 
resources  of  consolation,  which  should  not  be  forgot 
ten  in  your  most  painful  moments — that  God  is  your 
Father,  Christ  your  Saviour,  and  heaven  your  eternal 
inheritance. 

"But  further,  when  you  attentively  survey  the 
present  painful" dispensation,  you  will  certainly  find 
that  there  is  a  mixture  of  mercy  in  it ;  and  is  not  that 
mixture  of  mercy  in  a  proportionable  degree  a  matter 
of  praise?  You  have  suffered  deeply;  but  had  not 
mercy  interposed,  you  had  not  survived  to  have  been 
sensible  of  that  suffering.  A  very  small  alteration  in 
the  circumstances  of  your  fall  might  have  made  it 
fatal  to  your  life.  You  are  made  to  possess  days  of 
anguish,  and  wearisome  nights  are  appointed  unto 
you ;  but  does  not  an  indulgent  Providence  surround 
you  with  comforts,  which  assuage  your  sense  of  that 
distress?  I  need  not  insist  upon  those  instances 
which  so  grateful  a  heart  cannot  overlook.  You 
recollect  the  piety  and  tenderness  of  your  excellent 
parent ;  you  observe  the  respect  and  affection  of  many 
other  agreeable  and  valuable  friends ;  you  review  that 
affluence  of  worldly  possessions  which,  through  the 
divine  goodness,  is  flowing  in  upon  you,  and  furnishes 
you  with  the  most  judicious  advice,  the  most  proper 
remedies,  and  the  most  agreeable  accommodations  and 
entertainments  which  your  present  circumstances  can 
require  or  admit;  and  in  the  force  of  these  united 
considerations  you  will  own  that  it  is  reasonable, 
even  now,  to  praise  the  Lord,  who  is  daily  loading 
you  with  benefits,  and  vastly  overbalances  your  afflic 
tion  with  mercy. 

4* 


82  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

"But  what  if  I  should  proceed  still  further,  and 
maintain  not  only  that  it  is  your  duty  to  praise  God 
for  his  other  mercies,  though  he  has  afflicted  you,  but 
even  to  praise  him  for  this  affliction,  as  in  itself  a 
mercy.  I  should  then  say  no  more  than  the  Scripture 
warrants,  when  it  exhorts  us  '  in  every  thing  to  give 
thanks/  and  tells  us  that  'all  things  work  together  for 
good  to  them  that  love  God/ 

"  I  know,  madam,  and  I  persuade  myself  that  you 
seriously  consider  that  the  interests  of  the  soul  are 
vastly  more  valuable  than  those  of  the  body.  Now 
it  is  certain  that  such  a  calamity  as  this  may  be  the 
means  of  great  improvement  and  advantage  to  your 
soul.  It  may  wean  your  heart  from  the  world,  and 
fix  it  upon  God ;  it  may  make  you  a  more  lively  and 
zealous  Christian,  and  consequently  more  happy  and 
useful  in  this  life,  and  more  glorious  throughout  the 
ages  of  eternity.  And  if  it  has  a  tendency  to  pro 
mote  so  exalted  an  end,  you  have  certainly  reason  to 
bless  God  for  it,  though  it  be  attended  with  some 
trying  circumstances;  as  you  would  approve  and  be 
thankful  for  the  setting  of  a  broken  bone,  though  it 
were  a  very  painful  operation,  since  it  was  so  subser 
vient,  and  indeed  so  necessary,  to  the  future  pleasure 
and  usefulness  of  life. 

"As  all  afflictions  have,  by  the  divine  blessing,  a 
tendency  to  lead  the  mind  into  serious  reflections ;  so 
every  particular  trial  has  its  own  peculiar  advantages, 
which  it  is  proper  for  us  to  study  while  we  are  under 
its  pressure. 

"That  I  may  give  my  dear  and  excellent  friend 
all  the  assistance  I  can,  I  will  mention  some  heads  of 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  83 

religious  contemplation  which  occur  to  my  thoughts 
as  peculiarly  proper  to  be  dwelt  upon  while  we  are 
actually  in  pain.  And  if  it  please  God  to  impress 
them  deeply  upon  your  mind,  you  will  find  that  it  will 
be  worth  your  while  to  have  borne  the  smart  of  an 
affliction  which  may  prove  so  instructive  and  bene 
ficial. 

"1.  It  is  now  peculiarly  proper  to  consider  how 
insupportably  dreadful  the  wrath  of  God  must  be. 
If  one  drop  of  the  divine  displeasure,  or  a  single 
stroke,  which  he  inflicts  in  love  upon  his  child,  be 
sufficient  to  throw  us  into  so  much  distress,  Oh,  what 
must  it  be  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  God,  as  an  irrec 
oncilable  enemy,  and  to  stand  the  shock  of  that 
horrible  tempest  which  he  shall  pour  out  upon  the 
finally  impenitent?  If  it  be  so  difficult  to  bear  the  dis 
order  of  one  single  limb,  when  other  circumstances 
around  us  are  just  as  we  could  wish  them  to  be,  and 
the  tenderest  friends  are  doing  their  utmost  to  sup 
port  us  under  our  sorrows,  what  must  it  be  to  dwell 
for  ever  in  that  region  of  horror,  when  every  member 
of  the  body  and  every  faculty  of  the  soul  shall  be 
come  the  seat  of  torment,  and  every  surrounding 
creature  and  circumstance  conspire  to  aggravate  and 
inflame  it?  Fly,  Oh  my  soul,  from  so  dreadful  a  con 
demnation;  abhor  the  thought  of  any  thing  which 
might  expose  thee  to  it ;  and  adore  the  riches  of  that 
redeeming  love,  by  which  thou  art  delivered  from 
going  down  into  the  pit. 

"  2.  Another  very  proper  reflection  in  our  hours 
of  pain  may  be,  how  rich  was  the  love  of  Jesus  Christ, 
who  would  endure  so  much  suffering  for  our  salvation. 


84  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

Do  I  find  it,  you  will  say,  so  difficult  a  matter  to  bear 
up  under  my  present  anguish,  though  only  one  mem 
ber  of  my  body  suffers?  what  then  did  my  Saviour 
feel  when  he  was  expiring  under  the  agonies  of  the 
cross?  What  was  it  to  have  the  tenderest  parts  of 
his  body  pierced  with  thorns  and  with  nails,  and  to 
be  stretched  out  upon  the  cross,  as  on  a  rack,  until 
almost  every  joint  was  dislocated,  which  you  know, 
madam,  was  the  common  pain  of  crucifixion ;  besides 
all  that  intolerable  torment  which  threw  him  into  a 
bloody  sweat,  where  no  human  cause  of  agony  was 
near  him.  Little,  0  my  Redeemer,  little  can  I  con 
jecture  of  the  bitterness  of  thine  agonies  from  the  pain 
I  now  feel ;  but  since  what  I  now  feel  is  so  acute  and 
so  grievous,  let  me  take  a  few  moments  from  my  sor 
rows  and  my  groans  to  admire  and  celebrate  thy 
inconceivable  love,  which  bore  that  sorrow  which 
was  infinitely  more  dreadful. 

"3.  When  we  feel  ourselves  in  pain,  it  is  pecul 
iarly  proper  to  reflect  on  the  great  mercy  of  God  in 
having  formerly  given  us  so  much  ease.  How  many 
have  been  continued  in  life  while  surrounded  with 
innumerable  calamities  and  accidents,  which  might 
not  only  have  been  painful  but  mortal  to  me  •  and  in 
this  present  year,  how  many  days  and  how  many 
weeks  have  there  been  in  which  I  have  enjoyed  unin 
terrupted  ease,  or  rather,  how  few  hours  and  moments 
have  there  been  in  which  I  have  felt  even  the  slightest 
uneasiness.  If  God  has  changed  the  dispensatiou  of 
his  providence  towards  me,  may  I  feel  the  value  of 
that  mercy  of  which  I  was  then  so  insensible.  Let 
me  now  praise  him  for  that  ease  and  comfort  which  I 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  85 

formerly  enjoyed,  but  undervalued;  since  it  might 
probably  be  the  design  of  this  present  affliction  to 
rebuke  my  former  insensibility,  and  recover  that  trib 
ute  of  praise  which  I  had  neglected  immediately  to 
pay. 

"4.  When  we  feel  pain  taking  hold  of  us,  we  may 
reflect  how  much  reason  we  have  to  pity  the  pains 
and  the  sorrows  of  others.  I  have  too  often  been 
forgetful  of  them  when  absent,  and  have  been  too 
negligent  in  praying  for  them,  though  perhaps  their 
case  has  been  attended  with  very  lamentable  circum 
stances.  Now  I  know,  by  my  own  experience,  a  part 
of  what  they  felt,  and  perhaps  no  more  than  a  part. 
Let  me  learn  then,  after  the  example  of  my  Redeem 
er,  by  my  own  sufferings,  to  sympathize  with  my 
brethren  in  this ;  and  let  me  impart  such  compassion 
to  them  as  I  now  desire  from  those  who  are  around 
me. 

"5.  When  we  are  under  pain  of  body,  it  is  proper 
to  reflect  how  vain  is  every  thing  in  this  world,  and 
how  infinitely  preferable  an  interest  in  the  Divine  fa 
vor.  One  such  day,  indeed,  as  many  of  those  which 
you  have  lately  passed,  may  serve  better  than  a  thou 
sand  arguments  to  convince  you  of  this  fact.  How 
has  the  accident  of  a  moment  impaired  your  relish  for 
many  entertainments  which  were  before  exceedingly 
agreeable.  Those  things  in  which  the  greater  part 
of  mankind  place  their  supreme  happiness,  are  little 
or  nothing  in  these  afflictive  moments.  The  delicacy 
of  food,  the  ornaments  of  dress,  nay,  even  the  conver 
sation  of  friends,  are  not  now  what  you  esteemed 
them  a  few  days  ago.  But  you  find,  madam,  that 


86  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

your  God  is  still  the  same;  and  that  the  thought  of 
your  interest  in  him  grows  more  and  more  delightful, 
in  proportion  as  the  charms  of  created  objects  fade 
and  disappear.  Yet,  when  your  health  and  strength 
are  completely  restored,  as  I  pray  they  may  speedily 
be,  may  not  created  vanities  again  grow  too  charm 
ing,  and  tempt  your  heart  to  forgetfulness  of  God? 
But  then,  madam,  I  hope  you  will  recollect  the  view 
in  which  they  appeared  in  the  days  of  weakness  and 
of  pain ;  and  the  more  carefully  you  attend  to  such 
considerations  now,  the  more  likely  will  you  then  be 
to  recollect  them  with  advantage. 

"6.  In  your  present  affliction,  it  is  peculiarly 
proper  for  you  to  think  of  that  heavenly  world 
which  is,  I  verily  believe,  the  great  object  of  your 
hope,  and  may,  through  grace,  be  your  eternal  inher 
itance.  All  the  storms  and  troubles  of  life  should 
but  force  us  into  that  blessed  harbor.  And  I  am 
persuaded  that  our  views  of  heaven  would  be  more 
affecting,  if  we  were  to  consider  it  as  a  place  where 
we  shall  be  free,  not  only  from  afflictions  in  general, 
but  from  that  particular  affliction  which  at  present 
lies  so  heavily  upon  us,  and  is  therefore  apprehended 
in  all  its  aggravations.  It  is  indeed  delightful,  under 
such  sorrows,  to  reflect  upon  that  world  where  pain 
shall  never  come.  0  my  soul,  dwell  upon  the  thought, 
and  in  that  view  breathe  after  it,  and  rejoice  in  its 
expectation. 

"  If  these  thoughts,  which  appear  so  proper  in  your 
present  circumstances,  be  seriously  attended  to  and 
pursued,  you  will  soon  perceive  their  advantage. 
Your  heart  will  come  like  gold  out  of  a  furnace  of 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  81 

fire,  'purified  seven  times;'  and,  upon  the  whole,  you 
will  reap  such  happy  fruits,  both  for  time  and  for 
eternity,  from  this  calamitous  event,  that  you  will  no 
longer  have  room  to  question  whether  it  be  not  the 
proper  subject  of  your  praise. 

"I  am  surprised  to  see,  that  before  I  was  aware 
my  letter  has  swelled  into  a  sermon.  But  I  find  in 
this,  as  in  other  instances,  that  it  is  easy  to  speak  out 
of  the  abundance  of  the  heart;  which  I  am  sure  I 
ever  do,  when  I  give  an  utterance  to  my  sentiments 
of  friendship  towards  you.  There  is  perhaps  a  plain 
ness  and  freedom  in  what  I  have  written,  which,  to 
some  other  persons,  I  might  think  necessary  to  excuse : 
but  I  will  not  make  any  apology  to  you ;  for  I  am  sure 
you  have  so  much  good  sense  as  to  see,  and  so  much 
candor  as  to  believe,  that  this  freedom  proceeds  only 
from  respect  and  tenderness. 

"I  am,  dear  madam,  your  most  affectionate  and 

humble  servant, 

"PHILIP  DODDRIDGE." 

To  Mr.  "Whittingham. 

[On  his  entertaining  some  doubts   concerning  the  Christian  Ke- 
ligion.] 

"  HARBOROUGH,  Feb.  18,  1728. 

"It  was  with  a  great  deal  of  pleasure  that  I  saw 
the  name  of  my  very  agreeable  friend  Mr.  Whitting 
ham  at  the  bottom  of  a  letter  I  received  on  Wednes 
day  morning;  and  I  am  not  at  all  'disgusted  at  the 
subject'  he  proposes  to  be  debated  in  our  future  cor 
respondence. 

"It  does  not  'terrify  me'  to  hear  that  a  person 
whom  I  sincerely  love,  and  for  whose  character  I  have 


88  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

the  truest  regard,  has  entertained  some  doubts  which 
he  cannot  entirely  get  over,  concerning  a  book  which 
his  earliest  instructors  recommended  to  him  as  the 
word  of  God.  It  is  certainly  the  duty  of  every  ra 
tional  creature  to  bring  his  religion  to  the  strictest 
test,  and  to  retain  or  reject  the  faith  in  which  he  has 
been  educated,  as  he  finds  it  capable  or  incapable  of 
a  rational  defence.  I  perfectly  agree  with  Lord 
Shaftesbury  in  his  judgment,  that  religion  has  not  so 
much  to  fear  from  its  weighty  adversaries  who  give 
it  exercise,  as  from  its  fond  nurse  who  overlays  it  out 
of  an  excess  of  tenderness.  I  therefore  do  not  only 
allow,  but  entreat  you  to  urge  all  your  strongest  ob 
jections  to  Christianity,  and  to  represent  them  in  the 
most  forcible  light;  and  if  then,  upon  the  whole,  I  am 
convinced  in  my  judgment  that  they  are  more  than  a 
balance  to  those  arguments  which  support  it,  I  will 
frankly  confess  myself  a  deist,  and  rather  throw  my 
self  on  Providence,  and  the  charity  of  my  new  breth 
ren,  than  purchase  the  most  comfortable  maintenance 
at  so  dishonorable  a  price  as  contradicting  the  con 
viction  of  my  conscience,  and  speaking  lies  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord.  On  the  other  hand,  I  must  entreat  you, 
sir,  to  enter  upon  the  inquiry  with  a  solemnity  and 
composure  of  mind  answerable  to  its  awful  impor 
tance;  remembering  that  we  are  searching  into  a 
matter  in  which  our  views  for  immortality  are  con 
cerned —  those  pleasing,  or  dreadful  views,  before 
which  all  the  hopes  and  fears  that  relate  only  to  thid 
transitory  life  fade  away  and  disappear,  like  twinkling 
stars  in  the  blaze  of  the  meridian  sun;  considering, 
also,  that  if  it  be  really  true  that  God  has  sent  his 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  89 

own  Son  into  the  world  to  recover  a  race  of  degen 
erate  creatures  at  the  expense  of  his  own  blood,  and 
to  fix  them  in  a  state  of  everlasting  perfection  and 
glory,  it  must  be  infinitely  fatal  to  desert  his  relig 
ion,  and  to  treat  him  like  an  impostor,  without  the 
most  serious  and  impartial  examination.  Nay, 
though,  after  all,  Christianity  should  only  prove  an 
agreeable  dream,  yet,  as  it  pretends  to  the  authority 
of  the  Supreme  Being,  and  is  supported  with  argu 
ments  which  have  at  least  some  plausible  appearance, 
it  will  argue  a  want  of  reverence  to  Him,  and  con 
sequently  may  expose  us  to  His  high  displeasure 
to  reject  it  lightly,  before  we  clearly  see  into  the 
falsehood  of  its  pretensions.  Persist  therefore  in 
your  resolution  to  weigh  the  question  in  an  impartial 
balance,  and  avoid  a  precipitate  judgment.  Above 
all,  let  me  indulge  my  friendship  to  you  so  far  as  to 
remind  you  of  what  a  person  of  your  wisdom  cannot 
but  know,  that  our  faculties  are  weak,  and  that  we 
are  exceedingly  apt  to  be  imposed  upon  by  false  rep 
resentations.  Let  that  fact  engage  you  to  humility, 
and  so  to  depend  upon  divine  illumination,  and  ear 
nestly  pray  to  the  God  of  truth  that  he  will  not  suffer 
you  to  fall  into  error,  but  will  guide  your  reason  in 
such  a  manner  as  may  establish  your  mind  in  an  un 
shaken  tranquillity. 

"Every  sober  and  rational  deist  must  own  there 
is  no  enthusiasm  in  such  advice ;  and  if  it  be  pursued, 
and  the  whole  tenor  of  your  life  be  agreeable  to  such 
principles,  I  am  confidently  persuaded  you  will  never 
be  undone  by  speculative  mistakes. 

"  With  regard  to  your  future  letters,  I  must  desire 


90  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

you  to  let  me  know,  in  the  first  place,  how  far  your 
scruples  proceed;  whether  they  extend  only  to  the 
inspiration  of  the  Scriptures,  which  is  all  that  your 
letter  imports;  or  whether  they  relate  to  the  truth 
of  the  facts  on  which  Christianity  is  built,  or  to  the 
whole  system  of  divine  revelation?  I  take  it  for 
granted  in  this  letter,  that  you  believe  the  existence 
and  perfections  of  God,  and  in  the  certainty  of  a  fu 
ture  state  ;  but  if  your  doubts  extend  to  these  points 
also,  it  is  evident  that  they  must  be  examined  in  the 
first  place,  before  we  can  proceed  with  the  other  ques 
tions  to  any  purpose. 

"I  have  nothing  further  to  add,  but  that  I  desire 
the  cause  of  religion  may  not- suffer  by  my  incapacity 
to  defend  it  to  the  greatest  advantage ;  and  that  after 
all  I  shall  have  said,  if  you  remain  unsatisfied,  you 
would  have  recourse  to  some  other  more  competent 
correspondent." 

From  Mr.  Whittingham. 

"LONDON,  Jan.  3,  1728. 

"I  received  your  kind  and  generous  letter,  which 
I  had  answered  sooner,  but  that  I  have  lately  been 
informed  of  the  bad  consequences  arising  from  a  gen 
tleman's  corresponding  with  his  friend  freely  on  this 
subject,  whose  letters  were  found  in  the  closet  of  that 
friend  after  his  decease.  It  is  for  this  reason  that 
I  omit  subscribing  my  name  to  this,  and  desire,  by 
the  same  post  that  brings  your  reply,  you  would  in 
close  it,  not  in  your  answer,  but  in  a  blank  cover, 
directed  to  me  as  below. 

"  I  would  ofi'er,  by  way  of  apology  for  the  defects 
you  will  find  in  the  method  of  my  reasoning,  or  the 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  91 

unaptness  of  the  expressions  that  I  may  make  use  of, 
that  disputation  is  what  I  am  the  greatest  notice  in, 
and  that  my  pen  has  hitherto  been  only  employed  in 
the  quaint  style  that  is  used  in  business ;  but  knowing 
your  good-nature,  why  do  I  make  excuses? 

"I  agree  with  you  that  the  premises  must  be  first 
settled  before  we  can  argue  to  advantage.  I  do 
therefore  own  that  there  is  a  Being  of  infinite  perfec 
tion,  the  origin  and  cause  of  all  things,  whom  I  call 
God.  But  that  the  authors  of  the  several  books  con 
tained  in  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  were  inspired 
by  Him,  I  am  not  so  clear  in. 

"I  shall  not  inquire  into  the  evidence  which  sup 
ports  the  several  facts  related  in  them;  it  being 
perhaps  impossible,  at  this  distance  of  time,  to  come 
to  a  fair  view  of  the  circumstances  on  which  the  proof 
of  them  depends.  My  objection  lies  against  the  whole 
scheme  of  what  is  called  the  divine  revelation. 

"I.I  argue  from  the  perfections  of  God's  nature, 
that  he  would  not  make  such  a  revelation  to  his  crea 
tures  which  they  had  not  faculties  to  examine.  Now 
this  examination,  I  apprehend,  must  be  made  by  com 
paring  what  is  said  to  be  revealed  with  the  natural 
notions  which  we  cannot  but  entertain  of  the  divine 
perfections. 

"2.  From  the  same  perfections  in  the  nature  of 
the  divine  Being,  I  infer  that  nothing  can  belong  to 
Him  which  is  either  capricious  or  malicious.  If,  there 
fore,  any  thing  is  ascribed  to  Him  which  can  proceed 
from  nothing  but  a  disposition  either  partial,  cruel,  or 
vindictive,  I  am  taught  by  the  aforesaid  natural  idea 
of  Him,  to  reject  it. 


92  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

"Now,  because  the  scheme  before  us  contains 
things  of  the  above-mentioned  kind,  it  wants,  with 
me,  the  most  proper  inducement  to  a  belief  of  its  au 
thority.  For  however  a  thing  may  appear  attested 
by  human  evidence,  in  relation  to  God,  I  can  pay  no 
respect  to  it,  if  its  principles  are  unworthy  of  God. 

"Now  the  assumed  revelation  in  question,  if  I  un 
derstand  it,  sets  forth  that  God  did,  by  design,  create 
a  race  of  creatures  who  he  knew  would  offend  him ; 
for  which  offences  he  designed  everlastingly  to  punish 
them ;  excepting  some  few,  whom,  for  no  other  reason 
than  his  own  good  will  and  pleasure,  he  resolved  to 
save,  by  sending  his  own  Son  to  die  for  them,  leaving 
the  rest  to  feel  the  effects  of  his  VEXGEANCE  to  all 
eternity. 

"3.  A  being  capable  of  this,  I  cannot  think  be 
nevolent,  consistently  with  any  natural  ideas  of  good 
ness  or  justice ;  nor  can  I  pay  him  the  true  worship  of 
love  and  esteem.  I  may,  indeed,  as  the  Indians  are 
represented  to  adore  the  devil,  stand  in  awe  and  fear 
of  such  malevolence,  lest  it  should  destroy  me. 

"If  you  can  prove  to  me  that  I  have  mistaken  the 
scheme,  or  that  it  is  agreeable  to  the  best  notion  man 
can  form  of  a  Deity,  then  shall  I  own  that  a  consider 
able  objection  is  removed. 

"  So,  begging  your  answer  to  this  as  soon  as  your 
convenience  will  permit,  together  with  your  compli 
ance  with  the  request  I  make  in  the  beginning  of  it, 
I  remain,  dear  sir,  your  most  humble  servant." 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  93 

To  Mr.  "Whittingham. 

"  HAKBOROUGH,  Jan.  16,  1728. 

"I  shall  endeavor  to  conform  to  the  directions  you 
give  me  as  to  the  management  of  your  letters;  and 
have  accordingly  sent  back  the  first  which  I  received. 
I  hope  you  will  pardon  me  that  I  keep  the  other  a 
few  days  longer,  till  I  have  leisure  to  answer  it  more 
fully  than  my  affairs  will  now  permit  me  to  do.  The 
apology  you  make  for  a  confusion  of  thought,  and 
impropriety  of  expression,  is  so  very  needless,  that  I 
shall  take  no  further  notice  of  it,  than  to  tell  you 
that  I  rejoice  in  the  hope  of  seeing  those  admirable 
talents  which  God  has  given  you,  employed  at  length 
in  the  defence  of  that  revelation  which  you  now  scru 
ple  to  admit. 

"  I  very  readily  acknowledge  that  you  have  fallen 
on  a  considerable  difficulty  in  the  Christian  scheme. 
You  seem  to  apprehend  that  our  assumed  revelation 
represents  God  as  a  cruel  or  a  capricious  being.  As 
I  am  directly  of  the  contrary  opinion,  I  propose  very 
carefully  to  consider  all  that  you  have  urged  for  the 
proof  of  your  assertion;  but  as  this  will  require 
rather  more  leisure  than  some  other  circumstances 
will  at  present  allow  me  to  bestow  upon  it,  I  must 
beg  your  patience  for  about  a  fortnight ;  and  I  rather 
choose  thus  to  trespass  upon  it  than  to  offer  any  loose 
and  indigested  thoughts  on  so  important  a  subject  and 
to  so  ingenious  a  correspondent. 

"  At  present  I  shall  content  myself  with  offering  a 
remark  upon  a  hint  which  you  drop  in  the  preface, 
which  appears  to  me  of  far  greater  importance  than 
you,  sir,  seem  to  be  aware  of. 


94  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

"When  you  decline  inquiring  into  the  evidence 
which  supports  the  several  facts  related  in  Scripture, 
it  is  with  this  insinuation,  that  it  may  perhaps  be  im 
possible  at  this  distance  of  time  to  collect  a  fair  view 
of  the  circumstances  on  which  the  proofs  of  such  facts 
must  depend ;  and  so  you  seem  to  take  it  for  granted, 
as  a  first  principle,  that  there  is  no  external  evidence 
in  support  of  Christianity  which  can  give  sufficient 
satisfaction  to  an  inquisitive  mind ;  and  that  therefore, 
by  a  natural  consequence,  you  have  nothing  to  do  but 
to  consider  it  as  an  hypothesis,  and  so  may  be  fairly 
excused  in  rejecting  it  without  any  further  inquiry,  if 
you  can  fix  upon  it  any  one  unanswerable  difficulty. 

"  This,  sir,  is  a  very  easy  way  of  thinking ;  but  par 
don  me  if  I  say  that  I  apprehend  it  to  be  a  mistake 
of  the  utmost  importance.  I  have,  indeed,  some  right 
to  say  that  your  supposition  is  very  ill-grounded,  for 
it  has  been  one  great  business  of  my  life,  for  several 
years,  to  inquire  into  the  evidence  of  those  facts  which 
you  suppose  incapable  of  any  convincing  evidence  at  all; 
and  I  do  faithfully  assure  you  that  the  more  I  have 
examined  them,  the  more  reason  I  have  found  to  be 
lieve  them,  and  that  I  have  never  met  with  any  thing 
in  the  most  celebrated  writings  of  Jews  or  Deists 
which  has  been  able  to  overturn  them. 

"I  hope  you  will  not  imagine  that  I  say  this  to 
persuade  you  to  rest  upon  my  judgment,  and  believe 
it  on  my  word ;  that  would  be  a  favor  which  it  would 
be  as  shameful  for  me  to  ask  as  for  you  to  grant,  but 
I  imagine  the  declaration  I  have  made  will  be  to  you, 
who  think  so  much  better  of  my  understanding  than 
it  deserves,  an  engagement  not  to  throw  by  the  exam- 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  95 

ination  in  this  indolent  way,  on  a  presumption  that  it 
is  impossible  to  come  at  any  satisfaction  in  it. 

"I  imagine  that  nothing  could  be  more  proper  in 
the  present  circumstances  than  for  you  to  consider, 
with  the  utmost  seriousness,  what  our  most  celebrated 
divines  have  said  upon  the  subject.  It  is  the  happi 
ness  of  the  present  age  to  abound  with  some  of  the 
most  learned  and  judicious  defences  of  Christianity 
which  the  world  has  ever  seen.  I  would  not  trouble 
you  to  peruse  them  all,  but  Dr.  Clarke's  Sermons  at 
Boyle's  Lectures,  Mr.  Chandler's  Discourses  upon  the 
Miracles,  and  Mr.  Butler's,  which  he  calls  the  Reason 
of  Christ  and  his  Apostles  Defended,  are  so  short  and 
so  plain  that  they  may  easily  be  perused  in  about  a 
fortnight,  or  at  most  a  month;  and  I  imagine  that 
from  any  one  of  them,  and  much  more  from  all,  you 
will  find  arguments  which  no  Deist  can  possibly  an 
swer  to  the  satisfaction  of  a  diligent  and  impartial 
inquirer.  I  am  at  least  confident  of  this,  that  a  man 
of  your  candor  will  readily  allow,  on  that  examina 
tion,  that  the  arguments  for  Christianity  are  not  des 
picably  weak,  but  that  there  are  some  difficulties  in 
rejecting  it  which  a  serious  and  prudent  man  will  not 
easily  get  over.  Now  as  you,  sir,  are  a  rational  crea 
ture,  and  certainly  answerable  to  God  for  your  con 
duct  in  this  most  important  affair,  it  must  be  your 
concern  to  embrace  that  side  of  the  question  which, 
on  the  whole,  is  loaded  with  the  least  difficulty  and 
supported  by  the  best  evidence ;  and  it  is  the  principal 
design  of  this  letter  to  remind  you  of  this  duty. 

"If  you  still  urge  that  you  cannot  yield  to  any 
evidence  in  a  case  pregnant  with  unanswerable  diffi- 


96  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

culties,  I  entreat  you  to  review  that  matter  a  little 
more  attentively.  You  firmly  believe  the  existence 
of  a  God,  whom  you  think  of  as  a  being  infinitely 
perfect.  Now  I  am  confident  that  I  could  propose  a 
catalogue  of  difficulties  relating  to  several  of  the  di 
vine  attributes,  which  must  certainly  belong  to  a  self- 
existent  being,  which  it  is  not  in  the  power  of  human 
reason  to  solve,  and  which  are  perhaps  beyond  the 
understanding  of  any  creature.  I  am  sure  they  are 
to  me  far  more  considerable  than  any  difficulties 
peculiar  to  Christianity ;  yet  we  believe  in  the  exist 
ence  of  God,  notwithstanding  this  mixture  of  obscu 
rity  and  ignorance,  because  the  difficulties  of  the 
atheistical  scheme  are  greater  than  those;  and  I  do 
persuade  myself  that  you  will  readily  allow,  on  the 
same  principle,  that  if  the  evidence  of  Christianity  be 
really  important,  it  ought  in  like  manner  to  take  the 
place  of  Deism,  though  there  may  be  twenty  unac. 
countable  peculiarities  in  the  scheme. 

"  To  make  you  more  sensible  of  the  justice  of  this 
reasoning,  which  I  fear  is  too  generally  forgotten,  give 
me  leave  to  mention  one  case  which  is  so  nearly  allied 
to  the  objection  you  urge  against  Christianity  as  to 
be  on  that  account  peculiarly  proper  on  this  occasion. 

"  Suppose  yourself  to  have  existed  before  the  crea 
tion  of  this  lower  world,  in  some  heavenly  region 
where  you  had  only  been  acquainted  with  purity  and 
happiness,  and  seen  God  shine  forth  upon  his  creatures 
with  the  beams  of  the  mildest  and  most  uninterrupted 
benevolence.  Imagine  that  in  these  circumstances  you 
had  met  with  another  spirit  of  the  like  character  and 
condition  with  yourself,  who  had  brought  you  the 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  97 

news  of  the  creation  of  the  earth,  and  who,  after  hav 
ing  described  it  in  all  the  original  perfection  in  which 
it  appeared  when  it  came  immediately  out  of  the  hand 
of  God,  had  presented  you  with  two  different  plans 
for  the  conduct  of  Providence  towards  the  human 
race  which  was  then  rising  to  take  possession  of  this 
delightful  abode. 

"  Imagine  that  in  the  first  .of  these  plans  you  had 
seen  every  thing  beautiful  and  every  thing  glorious, 
and  this  beauty  and  glory  permanent  and  unfading. 
Suppose  it  had  represented  mankind  as  nourishing  in 
immortal  vigor,  surrounded  by  all  the  ornaments  and 
pleasures  of  which  earth  can  be  the  scene,  and  man 
a  thousand  times  happier  than  any  external  accommo 
dations  could  make  him,  in  the  just  poise  and  regula 
tion  of  his  passions,  and  a  constant  obedience  to  the 
dictates  of  reason.  Suppose  it  had  represented  all 
the  inhabitants  of  the  peopled  world  as  of  one  lan 
guage  and  of  one  heart,  all  overflowing  with  mutual 
benevolence  to  each  other,  every  one  consulting  the 
happiness  of  all,  and  all  animated  by  the  most  lively 
gratitude  and  love  to  the  great  Author  of  their  being 
and  their  felicity,  and  consequently  always  regarded 
by  him  as  his  children ;  defended  from  the  assaults  of 
every  thing  that  might  either  injure  or  seduce  them, 
and  in  one  word,  continued  through  a  long  succession 
of  ages  in  all  the  pleasures  of  innocence  and  paradise 
till  they  were  transported  by  some  gentle  and  delight 
ful  passage  to  nobler  abodes,  there  gradually  to  im 
prove  in  perfection  and  glory  through  all  the  ages  of 
an  eternal  existence. 

"Suppose  that  the  other  scheme  had  represented 


98  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

mankind  in  a  state  of  degeneracy,  confusion,  and 
misery.  Imagine  that  in  surveying  the  plan,  you  had 
seen  some  numerous  nations  of  savage  barbarians, 
who  appeared  to  retain  little  more  than  the  shape  of 
men ;  and  thousands  more  lost  in  superstition,  and  de 
basing  the  faculties  of  the  rational  nature  in  the  vilest 
and  most  stupid  idolatry.  Suppose  you  beheld  the 
desolation  of  war  in  one  country,  of  famine  in  another, 
and  of  pestilence  in  a  third;  or  perhaps  all  these 
united  calamities  prevailing  on  the  same  unhappy 
spot ;  and  besides  all  this,  had  discovered  by  far  the 
greater  part  of  mankind,  in  the  most  temperate  cli 
mates,  the  most  civilized  nations,  and  the  most  peace 
ful  times,  neglecting  and  perhaps  despising  religion 
and  violating  all  the  plainest  precepts  of  humanity, 
every  one  eagerly  pursuing  his  own  private  interests 
with  all  the  restless  anxieties  of  hope  and  fear,  desire 
and  sorrow,  and  each  in  subserviency  to  the  mean 
design  of  supplanting  and  defrauding,  annoying  and 
reviling  all  whom  he  apprehends  to  stand  in  his  way. 
In  one  word,  imagine  that  you  saw,  in  this-  mental 
picture,  all  that  irregularity  and  meanness,  that  vil- 
lany  and  torment,  which  you  cannot  but  see  in  your 
extensive  acquaintance,  or  within  the  circle  of  your 
own  intelligence. 

"And  then  imagine  that  after  this  attentive  review 
your  companion  had  left  it  to  you  to  judge  which  of 
these  schemes  would  probably  have  taken  place  under 
the  government  of  a  Being  infinite  in  power,  in  wis 
dom,  and  in  goodness ;  can  you  believe  that  you  would 
have  hesitated  one  moment  about  it  ?  You  would,  no 
doubt,  have  been  ready  to  laugh  with  indignant  scorn 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  '    99 

at  any  one  who  could  imagine  that  God  would  prefer 
the  latter  to  the  former;  and  yet  you  see,  upon  the 
whole,  that  he  has  preferred  it;  unless  you  will  say  he 
could  not  prevent  misery  and  sin ;  and  then  the  dis 
pute  turns  upon  another  footing,  quite  different  from 
the  present  question. 

"  The  plain  consequence  of  this  is,  that  it  undoubt 
edly  appears  that  in  fact  a  scheme  which  has  very 
great  difficulties  attending  it  exists;  may  not  then 
another,  which  merely  in  idea  appears  very  improba 
ble,  nevertheless  be  a  true  scheme,  and  ought  it  there 
fore  to  be  rejected  merely  on  account  of  its  difficulties 
without  examining  the  evidence  which  accompanies 
it?  This  observation,  as  well  as  the  instances  by 
which  I  have  endeavored  to  illustrate  it,  has  a  pecul 
iar  weight  in  questions  relating  to  the  divine  gov 
ernment,  when,  if  we  are  not  distracted  with  an  arro 
gant  conceit  of  ourselves,  we  must  allow  that  there 
may  very  probably  be  a  great  many  things  which  lie 
entirely  beyond  our  present  reach. 

"  You  will  easily  see  that  the  tendency  of  this  rea 
soning  is  only  to  engage  you  in  that  inquiry  which  I  be 
fore  recommended.  I  heartily  wish  you  success  in  it." 

To  the  Rev.  Thomas  Saunders. 

"HARBOROUGH,  Nov.  1728. 

"  Mr.  Some  informed  me  some  time  ago  that  you 
desired  an  account  of  Mr.  Jennings7  method  of  aca 
demical  education,  and  as  I  was  one  of  the  last  pupils 
my  dear  tutor  sent  out,  I  suppose  he  thought  I  might 
have  his  scheme  fresh  in  my  memory,  which  is  the 
only  reason  I  can  give  for  his  applying  to  me  to  write 
to  you  on  the  occasion. 


100  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

"  Our  course  of  education  at  Kibworth  was  the 
employment  of  four  years,  and  every  half  year  we 
entered  upon  a  new  set  of  studies,  or  at  least  changed 
the  time  and  order  of  our  lectures. 

"  The  first  half  year  we  read  geometry  or  alge 
bra  thrice  a  week,  Hebrew  twice,  geography  once, 
French  once,  Latin  prose  authors  once,  classical  ex 
ercises  once.  Our  academical  exercises  were  trans 
lations  from  some  of  the  Latin  authors  into  English, 
or  from  English  into  Latin.  Many  passages  in  the 
Spectators  and  Tattlers,  both  serious  and  humorous, 
were  assigned  to  us  upon  those  occasions.  For  He 
brew  we  read  Bythner's  grammar. 

"The  second  half  year  we  ended  geometry  and 
algebra,  which  we  read  twice  a  week.  We  read 
logic  twice,  civil  history  once,  French  twice,  He 
brew  once,  Latin  poets  once,  exercises  once,  ora 
tory  once.  We  had  a  collection  of  readings  on  the 
subject  of  every  lecture,  which  frequently  employed 
us  in  our  closets  for  two  or  three  hours,  and  we  were 
obliged  to  give  an  account  of  the  substance  of  these 
references  at  our  next  lecture.  We  were  often  set  to 
translate  Tillotson  into  Sprat's  style,  and  vice  versa. 
At  other  times  we  used  to  reduce  arguments  which 
were  delivered  in  a  loose,  and  perhaps  a  confused 
manner,  into  a  kind  of  algebraic  form,  by  which  the 
weakness  of  many  plausible  harangues  would  very 
evidently  appear  at  the  first  glance.  Our  other  ex 
ercises  were  principally  orations,  of  which  the  mate 
rials  were  suggested  by  Mr.  Jennings  himself,  or  from 
some  books  to  which  we  were  referred.  'Bacon's 
Essays'  were  often  used  on  this  occasion,  and  our 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  101 

exercises  were  a  kind  of  comment  on  some  remarka 
ble  sentences  which  they  contained.  On  Tuesday 
nights  we  used  to  spend  an  hour  in  reading  the  Bible, 
sermons,  or  poems,  purely  to  form  ourselves  to  a  just 
accent  and  pronunciation.  One  would  hardly  imag 
ine  if  one  had  not  heard  the  alterations  which  three 
or  four  of  these  evenings  have  made  in  a  youth's 
reading. 

"  The  third  half  year  we  read  mechanics,  hydro 
statics,  and  physics  twice;  Greek  poets  once;  history 
of  England  once ;  anatomy  once ;  astronomy,  globes, 
and  chronology  once ;  miscellanies  once ;  and  had 
one  logical  disputation  in  a  week.  Our  logical  dis 
putations  were  in  English,  our  thesis  in  Latin,  and 
neither  the  one  nor  the  other  in  a  syllogistic  form. 
One  of  the  class  made  the  thesis,  each  of  the  rest  read 
an  exercise,  which  was  either  in  prose  or  in  verse,  in 
English  or  Latin,  as  we  ourselves  chose.  I  think 
English  orations  were  most  common,  and  turned,  I 
believe,  to  the  best  account. 

"The  fourth  half  year  we  read  pneumatology 
twice  a  week,  the  remainder  of  physics  and  miscel 
lanies  once,  'Jewish  antiquities'  twice.  Our  Pneu 
matology  contained  an  inquiry  into  the  existence  and 
nature  of  God,  and  into  the  nature,  operations,  and 
immortality  of  the  human  soul,  on  the  principles  of 
natural  reason.  This,  with  our  divinity,  which  was 
a  continuation  of  it,  was  by  far  the  most  valuable 
part  of  our  course. 

"  The  fifth  half  year  we  read  ethics  twice  a  week, 
critics  once,  and  had  one  pneumatological  disputation. 
Our  ethics  were  a  part  of  pneumatology :  the  princi- 


102  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

pal  authors  referred  to  were  Grotius  and  Puffendorf. 
Our  critical  lectures  were  not  criticisms  upon  any 
particular  texts,  but  general  observations  relating  to 
the  most  noted  versions  and  editions  of  the  Bible. 

"  The  sixth  half  year  we  read  divinity  thrice  a 
week,  Christian  antiquities  once,  miscellanies  once, 
and  had  one  homily  on  a  Thursday  night.  In  divini 
ty  we  had  references  to  authors  of  all  opinions,  but 
Scripture  was  our  only  rule.  Our  homilies  were  dis 
courses  delivered  from  a  pulpit.  They  were  confined 
to  subjects  of  natural  religion,  and  we  had  no  quota 
tions  from  the  Scriptures  otherwise  than  for  illustra 
tion,  most  of  our  citations  being  taken  from  the  an 
cient  poets  and  philosophers.  They  cost  us  abun 
dance  of  pains,  and  were  reviewed  by  Mr.  Jennings 
before  they  were  delivered. 

"The  seventh  half  year  we  read  divinity  thrice, 
ecclesiastical  history  once,  had  one  sermon,  and  one 
theological  disputation.  Mr.  Jennings  examined  our 
sermons  himself;  we  preached  them  to  our  own  fami 
ly,  and  sometimes  to  the  people  in  his  hearing. 

"  The  last  half  year  we  read  divinity  once  a 
week,  history  of  controversies  once,  miscellanies  once, 
and  had  one  theological  disputation.  These  miscel 
lanies  were  a  second  volume,  containing  a  brief  his 
torical  account  of  the  ancient  philosophy,  the  art  of 
preaching,  and  the  pastoral  care ;  on  which  heads.  Mr. 
Jennings  gave  us  very  excellent  advice,  with  some 
valuable  hints  on  the  head  of  non-conformity.  We 
preached  this  last  half  year  either  at  home  or  abroad, 
as  occasion  required,  and  towards  the  beginning  of 
it  were  examined  by  a  committee  of  the  neighboring 


HIS   THEOLOGICAL   STUDIES.  103 

ministers,  to  whom  that  office  was  assigned  at  a  pre 
ceding  general  meeting. 

"Mr.  Jennings  never  admitted  any  into  his  acad 
emy  till  he  had  examined  them  as  to  their  improve 
ment  in  school  learning,  and  on  their  capacity  for 
entering  on  the  course  of  studies  which  he  proposed. 
He  likewise  insisted  on  satisfaction  as  to  their  moral 
character,  and  the  marks  of  a  serious  disposition. 

"The  first  two  years  of  our  course  we  read  the 
Scriptures  in  the  family  from  Hebrew,  Greek,  or 
French  into  English.  Mr.  Jennings  drew  up  a  scheme 
which  comprehended  the  whole  of  the  New  Testament, 
and  the  most  useful  parts  of  the  Old,  by  which  we  pro 
ceeded.  He  expounded  about  ten  lessons  in  a  week, 
sometimes  in  the  morning,  and  sometimes  in  the  even 
ing.  On  those  days  when  he  did  not  expound,  we 
read  the  lessons  over  again  which  had  been  formerly 
expounded,  and  so  went  over  the  most  important  parts 
of  the  Scriptures  twice,  at  a  convenient  distance  of 
time.  These  expositions  were  all  extempore,  but  very 
edifying;  and  it  is  with  a  great  deal  of  satisfaction 
that  I  often  review  some  hints  which  I  sometimes 
took  of  them. 

"  Once  a  month,  on  a  Friday  before  the  Lord's  sup 
per,  we  laid  aside  all  secular  business  to  attend  to  de 
votion.  Those  who  thought  proper,  as  several  did, 
observed  it  as  a  fast.  About  ten  in  the  morning  we 
all  met,  and  Mr.  Jennings  gave  us  a  lecture  which  he 
had  carefully  prepared  for  the  purpose ;  he  wrote  it 
out  in  long-hand,  and  allowed  us  to  transcribe  it  if 
we  thought  fit.  I  have  copies  of  all  of  them,  which  I 
set  a  great  value  upon.  His  two  discourses  of '  Preach- 


104  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

ing  Christ/  and  '  Experimental  Preaching/  were  com 
posed  and  delivered  on  such  an  occasion,  and  the  sub 
jects  of  the  text  were  accommodated  to  our  characters 
and  circumstances  of  life. 

"  Every  evening  an  account  was  taken  of  our  pri 
vate  studies.  We  repeated  to  him  immediately  after 
prayer  something  which  we  had  met  with,  which  we 
judged  most  remarkable.  By  this  means  all  enjoyed 
some  benefit  from  the  studies  of  each.  It  engaged  us 
to  read  with  attention,  and  the  reflections  our  tutor 
made,  and  the  advices  he  gave  were  well  worth  our 
observation  and  remembrance.  We  were  obliged  to 
talk  Latin  within  some  certain  bounds  of  time  and 
place.  If  any  case  of  difficulty  happened  we  exam 
ined  into  it,  and  often  had  long  pleadings  on  both 
sides,  and  at  last  the  cause  was  determined  by  the 
votes  of  the  majority.  The  time  of  these  debates  was 
immediately  after  we  had  given  an  account  of  our 
private  studies. 

"  Every  Lord's-day  evening  Mr.  Jennings  used  to 
send  for  some  of  us  into  the  lecture-room,  and  dis 
coursed  with  each  apart  about  inward  religion.  The 
discourse  was  generally  introduced  by  asking  us  what 
we  observed  as  most  remarkable  in  the  sermon.  He 
took  this  opportunity  of  admonishing  us  of  any  thing 
he  observed  amiss  in  our  conduct,  and  he  always  did 
it  in  a  most  engaging  manner.  After  this  we  met  at 
seven  for  family  prayer.  Before  prayer  one  of  us 
either  repeated  the  sermon  we  had  heard,  or  read 
some  portion  of  a  practical  writer  which  we  ourselves 
chose.  And  then,  after  singing  and  prayer,  Mr. 
Jennings  examined  those  of  the  first  class  in  the 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  105 

*  Assembly's  Larger  Catechism/  in  which  he  gave  us 
a  historical  account  of  the  belief  of  other  parties  of 
Christians  relating  to  the  several  articles  which  are 
matter  of  controversy. 

"Mr.  Jennings  allowed  us  the  free  use  of  his 
library,  which  was  divided  into  two  parts:  the  first 
was  common  to  all,  the  second  was  for  the  use  of  the 
Seniors  only,  consisting  principally  of  books  of  philos 
ophy  and  polemical  divinity,  with  which  the  Juniors 
would  have  been  confounded  rather  than  edified.  At 
our  first  entrance  on  each  we  had  a  lecture,  in  which 
Mr.  Jennings  gave  us  the  general  character  of  each 
book,  and  some  hints  as  to  the  time  and  manner  of 
perusing  it.  We  had  fixed  hours  of  business  and 
recreation.  After  reading,  expounding,  and  singing, 
one  of  the  pupils  went  to  prayer ;  immediately  after 
prayer  we  took  breakfast;  then  the  first  class  went 
into  the  lecture,  and  the  rest  afterwards  in  their 
turns.  Each  lecture  began  with  an  examination,  by 
which  Mr.  Jennings  could  easily  judge  of  our  care  or 
negligence  in  studying  the  former.  Lecturing  gener 
ally  employed  Mr.  Jennings  the  greater  part  of  the 
forenoon.  Immediately  after  lecture  we  went  in  to 
our  studies.  At  twelve  we  dined ;  at  two  we  gener 
ally  retired  to  our  closets  again,  but  were  not  con 
fined  to  that  hour,  for  the  times  of  private  study  were 
left  to  our  own  choice.  At  seven  we  were  called  to 
supper,  immediately  after  which  one  of  the  classes 
had  a  lecture.  At  half  past  eight  we  were  called  to 
reading,  exposition,  and  singing;  afterwards  Mr.  Jen 
nings  himself  prayed  in  the  family.  Accounts  of  pri 
vate  studies,  cases,  and  conversation  employed  us  till 
5* 


106  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

about  ten,  when  we  generally  retired  to  bed.     Thurs 
day  morning  was  always  vacant." 

Here  would  seem  to  be  a  fitting  place  to  introduce 
an  account  of  the  entrance  of  Doddridge  upon  the 
work  of  a  theological  tutor,  adopting  as  his  model 
the  excellent  and  laborious  course  of  his  own  theo 
logical  instructor,  which  is  so  well  portrayed  in  the 
preceding  letter  to  Mr.  Saunders ;  but  it  is  a  matter  of 
much  interest  to  inquire  into  the  habits  which  he  had 
already  formed  as  a  preacher.  There  is  the  fullest 
evidence  that  he  was  a  thoroughly  honest  and  sincere 
man.  He  earnestly  sought  to  avoid  the  reproach, 
"Physician,  heal  thyself."  What  he  preached  to 
others  he  preached  as  solemnly  to  himself,  and  thus 
pursued  the  best  course  for  attaining  great  power 
and  influence  over  the  minds  of  his  hearers,  and  thus 
also  did  he  preeminently  qualify  himself  for  the  la 
borious  and  useful  post  of  a  theological  instructor. 
He  became  a  model  preacher  and  pastor. 

Under  date  of  July  23,  1727,  his  papers  contain 
this  interesting  record  of  private  reflections: 

"I  this  day  preached  concerning  Christ  as  the 
physician  of  souls,  from  Jer.  8  : 22  •  and  having,  among 
other  particulars,  addressed  to  those  sincere  Chris 
tians  who,  through  the  neglect  of  a  gospel  remedy, 
are  in  a  bad  state  of  spiritual  health,  it  is  evident  to 
me,  upon  a  serious  review,  that  I  am  of  that  number. 
Therefore,  with  humble  shame  and  sorrow  for  my 
former  indifference  and  folly,  I  would  now  sincerely 
attempt  a  reformation.  To  this  purpose  I  would  re 
solve, 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  107 

"1.  That  I  will  carefully  examine  into  my  own 
soul,  that  I  may  know  its  constitution,  and  its  partic 
ular  weakness  and  distempers. 

"  2.  I  would  apply  to  Christ,  as  my  Physician,  to 
heal  these  diseases,  and  restore  me  to  greater  vigor 
in  the  service  of  God. 

"  3.  I  would  remember  that  he  heals  by  the  Spirit ; 
and  would  therefore  pray  for  his  influences  to  produce 
in  me  greater  devotion,  humility,  diligence,  gravity, 
purity,  and  steadiness  of  resolution. 

"  4.  I  would  wait  on  him  in  the  study  of  the  Scrip 
tures,  in  prayer,  and  the  Lord's  supper.  '  Lord,  if 
thou  wilt,  thou  canst  make  me  clean.7  Thou  hast 
given  me  a  degree  of  bodily  health  and  vigor  far 
superior  to  what,  from  the  nature  of  my  constitution, 
I  had  reason  to  expect;  yet  I  here  record  it  before 
thee,  that  I  desire  spiritual  health  abundantly  more. 

"I  would  also  consider  my  concern  in  this  subject 
as  a  minister.  God  has  provided  a  remedy.  He  has 
appointed  me  to  proclaim,  and  in  some  measure,  to 
apply  it.  Yet  many  are  not  recovered;  and  why? 
I  can  appeal  to  thee  that  I  have  faithfully  warned 
them.  I  have  endeavored  to  speak  the  most  impor 
tant  truths  with  all  possible  plainness  and  serious 
ness  ;  but  I  fear,  1. 1  have  not  followed  them  sufficient 
ly  with  domestic  and  personal  exhortations.  2.  I 
have  not  been  sufficiently  careful  to  pray  for  the  suc 
cess  of  my  ministerial  labors.  It  has  been  rather  an 
incidental  thing  than  matter  of  solemn  request.  3.  I 
have  lived  so  as  to  forfeit  those  influences  of  the  Spirit, 
by  which  they  might  have  been  rendered  more  effec 
tual.  I  resolve,  therefore,  for  the  time  to  come,  to  be 


108  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

more  close  in  applying  to  them  in  their  own  houses, 
to  pray  for  them  more  frequently,  to  set  a  greater 
value  on  the  cooperating  Spirit,  and  take  care  to 
avoid  every  thing  which  may  provoke  Him  to  with 
draw  himself  from  my  ministrations.  Such  caution 
may  I  always  maintain;  and  Oh,  may  the  health  of 
my  people  be  recovered." 

"  Nov.  12,  1727.  I  preached  this  day  from  these 
words,  '  I  know  you,  that  you  have  not  the  love  of 
God  in  you.'  I  endeavored  to  fix  on  unconverted  sin 
ners  the  charge  of  not  loving  God,  and  described  at 
large  the  character  of  the  Christian,  in  several  ex 
pressions  of  that  assertion.  My  own  heart  convicted 
me  of  being  deficient  in  many  of  them.  I  humbled 
myself  deeply  before  God ;  and  do  now,  in  the  divine 
strength,  renew  my  resolutions  as  to  the  following 
particulars : 

"I.I  will  endeavor  to  think  of  God  more  frequent 
ly  than  I  have  done,  and  to  make  the  thoughts  of  him 
familiar  to  my  mind  in  seasons  of  leisure  and  solitude. 

"  2.  I  will  labor  after  communion  with  him,  espec 
ially  in  every  devotion  through  this  week.  For  this 
purpose  I  would  recollect  my  thoughts  before  I  be 
gin,  watch  over  my  heart  in  the  duty,  and  consider 
afterwards  how  I  have  succeeded. 

"  3.  I  will  pray  for  conformity  to  God,  and  en 
deavor  to  imitate  him  in  wisdom,  justice,  truth,  faith 
fulness,  and  goodness. 

"4.  I  will  rejoice  in  God's  government  of  the 
world,  and  regard  his  interposition  in  all  my  per 
sonal  concerns. 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  109 

"5.  I  will  pray  for  zeal  in  my  Master's  interest, 
and  will  make  the  advancement  of  his  glory  the  great 
end  of  every  action  of  life. 

"  6.  I  will  cultivate  a  peculiar  affection  to  Chris 
tians  as  such. 

"7.1  will  study  the  divine  will,  and  endeavor  to 
practise  every  duty. 

"  8.  I  will  be  diligently  on  my  guard  against  every 
thing  which  may  forfeit  the  favor  of  God  and  provoke 
his  displeasure. 

"  I  resolve  particularly  to  make  these  things  my 
care  the  ensuing  week,  and  hope  I  shall  find  the  bene 
fit  of  it,  and  perceive  at  the  close  that  my  evidences 
of  the  sincerity  of  my  love  to  God  are  more  stable 
and  flourishing  than  they  at  present  are." 

The  method  of  faithful  dealing  with  his  own  soul, 
in  respect  to  the  discharge  of  personal  and  official 
responsibilities,  as  developed  in  the  extracts  just 
furnished,  prepares  us  to  anticipate  a  corresponding 
fidelity  in  promoting  the  spiritual  interests  of  all 
who  came  within  the  sphere  of  his  appropriate  labors. 
Accordingly,  we  learn  that  he  was  assiduous  in  avail 
ing  himself  of  every  opportunity  of  doing  good,  and 
that  he  sought  such  opportunities.  The  children  and 
servants  of  the  family  with  whom  he  boarded  were 
objects  of  special  religious  care.  On  the  Sabbath  he 
generally  conversed  with  them  in  private  upon  their 
spiritual  interests  and  obligations. 

One  fact  relating  to  Doddridge  should  be  told  as 
a  hint  to  not  a  few  Christian  ministers  of  the  present 
time.  He  made  it  a  standing  rule  never  to  refuse  to 


110  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

preach,  however  comparatively  unprepared,  whenever 
he  was  solicited  to  do  so,  believing  that  every  such 
invitation  was  a  call  from  his  great  Master  to  attempt 
to  do  good.  He  used  to  say,  that  if  on  any  occa 
sion  he  was  asked  to  preach  merely  by  way  of  compli 
ment,  he  always  did  so,  thus  practically  teaching  his 
friends  not  to  ask  for  his  services  when  they  did  not 
really  desire  them. 

He  was  conscientious  and  exact  in  making  the 
most  of  time,  and  anxious  to  avoid  the  waste  of  it  in 
frivolous  pursuits  or  in  indolence.  Through  the  year 
it  was  his  practice  to  rise  at  five  o'clock,  and  to  this 
valuable  habit  he  ascribed  a  good  part  of  the  pro 
ficiency  which  he  made  in  learning  and  in  his  perform 
ances  as  an  author.  See  Family  Expositor :  note  on 
Rom.  13  : 13.  He  is  often  found  expressing  deep  sor 
row  and  humiliation  before  God  in  reviewing  those 
hours  in  which  he  may  have  made  some  unnecessary 
visits,  or  visits  in  which  he  had  neglected  to  intro 
duce  conversation  of  a  profitable  character ;  and  also 
in  reviewing  the  hours  which  he  had  not  turned  to  as 
good  account  as  seemed  desirable  and  proper. 

To  guard  against  a  waste  of  time  in  future,  he 
formed  at  the  beginning  of  every  year  a  well-digested 
plan  of  reading  and  of  business,  of  subjects  upon  which 
he  would  prepare  discourses,  and  of  methods  of  doing 
good  among  his  people.  At  the  end  of  every  month 
he  compared  his  conduct  and  attainments  with  the 
plan  laid  down,  noted  deficiencies,  examined  causes 
of  failure,  and  roused  himself  to  new  resolution  to 
accomplish  what  he  had  purposed.  On  New-year's 
day,  and  on  his  own  birthday,  he  instituted  a  more 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  Ill 

careful  and  solemn  review  of  the  manner  in  which  the 
intervals  of  his  time  had  been  occupied,  exciting  him 
to  humiliation,  on  the  one  hand,  over  any  failures 
which  he  might  thus  discover,  and  to  gratitude  on  the 
other,  so  far  as  he  had  accomplished  any  part  of  his 
extended  scheme  of  useful  labor  and  acquisition. 
These  two  days  of  the  year  he  was  accustomed  to 
appropriate  entirely  to  careful  self-examination  and 
closet  devotion.  He  reviewed  the  record  which  he 
regularly  kept  of  any  particular  favors  of  divine 
Providence  which  he  had  received,  of  the  sins  and 
infirmities  in  which  he  had  indulged,  and  of  the  prom 
inent  events  in  his  personal  history  and  experience. 
This  led  to  a  renewal  of  his  solemn  covenant  and 
resolution  to  endeavor  in  future  tc*  conduct  himself 
more  agreeably  to  the  views  of  duty  now  entertained. 

Before  he  set  out  on  a  visit  among  his  friends,  or 
undertook  a  journey,  it  was  his  custom  to  inquire  of 
himself  respecting  the  opportunities  that  might  thus 
be  offered  him  of  doing  good,  so  as  to  prepare  himself 
to  use  them;  also  respecting  the  temptations  which 
he  might  encounter  to  his  disadvantage,  so  as  to  arm 
himself  to  meet  them.  On  his  return  home  he  exam 
ined  himself  upon  the  behavior  which  he  had  pursued, 
to  ascertain  wherein  he  had  erred,  and  wherein  he 
had  conformed  to  what  was  right — following  these 
investigations  with  appropriate  acts  of  humiliation 
and  of  gratitude  before  God. 

In  1729  Mr.  Doddridge  began  to  preach  at  Mar 
ket  -  Harborough  and  Kibworth  alternately,  having 
resided  for  some  years  at  the  former  place.  His  tal 
ents  and  acceptableness  as  a  preacher  became  known 


112  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

to  several  congregations  much  larger  than  those  by 
whom  his  services  as  a  pastor  were  importunately 
solicited.  It  is  highly  interesting  to  read  those  por 
tions  of  his  correspondence  which  relate  to  invitations 
which  he  received,  as  we  have  already  stated,  from 
London,  from  Coventry,  from  Nottingham,  and  else 
where,  and  to  discover  the  enlightened  and  conscien 
tious  regard  to  his  highest  usefulness  which  is  therein 
displayed.  The  application  made  subsequently  by  an 
important  congregation  in  Northampton,  and  some  of 
his  correspondence  relating  to  it,  will  be  considered 
hereafter,  when  we  shall  have  laid  before  the  reader 
some  of  the  circumstances  connected  with  his  entrance 
upon  the  arduous  duties  of  a  theological  tutor,  which 
occurred  about  tke  same  period. 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  ACADEMY.  H3 


CHAPTER   III. 

INSTITUTION  OF  DODDRIDGE'S  THEOLOGICAL 
ACADEMY —EARLY  PASTORATE  AT  NORTH 
AMPTON. 

THE  death  of  the  Rev.  John  Jennings,  who  was 
greatly  and  deservedly  lamented,  created  an  impor 
tant  vacancy  in  the  department  of  theological  instruc 
tion  among  the  Independents  of  England ;  and  great 
difficulty  was  apprehended  in  filling  it  to  the  satisfac 
tion  both  of  the  more  sternly  Calvinistic  and  of  the 
other  portions  of  that  body.  Previous  to  his  decease, 
Mr.  Jennings  had  expressed  to  Doddridge,  his  most 
esteemed  pupil,  a  strong  desire  that  he  would  review 
the  compendium  of  instruction  pursued  by  him,  with 
a  view  to  render  it  more  complete,  and  to  supply  it, 
from  his  reading  and  reflections,  with  more  varied 
illustrations.  The  occasion  of  making  this  suggestion 
was  the  hope,  that  in  the  event  of  his  own  decease 
the  appointment  to  his  place  might  be  secured  for 
Doddridge,  whom  to  a  few  individuals  he  had  repre 
sented  as  better  qualified  than  any  other  of  his  pupils 
to  carry  out  effectively  and  satisfactorily  the  scheme 
which  had  been  introduced  and  pursued  in  his  acad 
emy.  Doddridge  was  not  apprized,  however,  of  this 
design  of  Mr.  Jennings,  until  communicated  to  him 
after  the  decease  of  his  venerated  instructor.  Yet 
for  years  he  had  been  diligently  acting  upon  the  plan 
suggested,  and  the  above  letter  to  Mr.  Saunders  shows 


114  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

even  in  its  abridged  form  an  intimate  acquaintance 
with  the  course  of  instruction  through  which  he  had 
passed,  in  preparing  to  preach.  This  letter  was  taken 
to  London  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Some,  and  submitted  to 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Isaac  Watts,  partly  with  a  view  to  ascer 
tain  his  opinion  of  the  scheme,  and  to  secure  his  nom 
ination  of  a  successor  to  Mr.  Jennings. 

Upon  returning  the  letter  to  Mr.  Some,  Dr.  Watts 
accompanied  it  with  the  following  observations : 

"  1.  How  wonderful  and  extraordinary  a  man  was 
the  late  Mr.  John  Jennings  !  The  little  acquaintance 
I  had  with  him  made  me  esteem  and  love  him;  but 
my  love  and  esteem  were  vastly  too  low  for  so  elevat 
ed  a  character.  The  world  and  the  church  know  not 
the  mournful  vacancy  which  they  sustain  by  his  death. 

"  2.  How  necessary  it  is  that  two  persons  at  least 
should  be  engaged  to  fill  up  all  the  parts  of  that  office 
which  the  ingenious  writer  of  this  letter  has  made  to 
devolve  upon  one.  The  diversity  of  genius,  the  vari 
ety  of  studies,  the  several  intellectual,  moral,  and 
pious  accomplishments,  the  constant  daily  and  hourly 
labors  necessary  to  fulfil  such  a  post,  can  hardly  be 
expected  from  any  one  person  living. 

"  3.  Yet  if  there  be  one  person  capable  of  such  a 
post,  perhaps  it  is  the  man  who  has  so  admirably  de 
scribed  this  scheme  of  education ;  and  as  he  seems  to 
have  surveyed  and  engrossed  the  whole  comprehen 
sive  view  and  design,  together  with  its  constant  diffi 
culties  and  accidental  embarrassments,  and  yet  sup 
posed  it  to  be  practicable,  I  am  sure  I  can  never  think 
of  any  person  more  likely  to  execute  it  than  himself; 
although  if  an  older  person  joined  with  him,  for  the 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  ACADEMY.      115 

reputation  of  the  matter  at  least,  it  would  be  well. 
The  beauties  and  congruities  of  the  scheme  are  so 
many  and  various,  that  if  I  should  have  made  any 
remarks  upon  them — as  I  have  done,  en  passant,  upon 
some  little  improvables — I  must  have  filled  a  quire 
instead  of  a  sheet  of  paper." 

Having  received  unsolicited  so  favorable  a  tes 
timony  from  Dr.  Watts  in  favor  of  Doddridge,  Mr. 
Some  easily  secured  a  public  acknowledgment  from 
all  the  neighboring  ministers,  that  his  young  friend 
was  highly  qualified  to  undertake  the  arduous  post 
which  now  was  to  be  occupied.  Thereupon,  at  a  gen 
eral  meeting  of  non-conformist  ministers  held  at  Tut- 
terworth,  April  10,  1729,  to  pray  for  a  revival  of  re 
ligion,  Mr.  Some,  having  delivered  an  earnest  public 
discourse  upon  the  means  best  adapted  to  promote 
that  object,  suggested  the  expediency  of  establishing  a 
theological  academy  at  Harborough,  and  of  placing  it 
under  the  charge  of  Mr.  Doddridge.  The  suggestion 
was  unanimously  adopted  •  all  due  encouragement 
and  assistance  was  promised ;  and  during  the  summer 
the  enterprise  was  commenced,  on  a  moderate  scale, 
only  a  few  being  received  of  the  pupils  that  were 
offered. 

While  the  question  of  entering  upon  it  was  yet  in 
agitation,  Doddridge  wrote  of  the  matter  in  the  fol 
lowing  just  terms : 

"I  do  most  humbly  refer  this  great  concern  to 
God,  and  am  sincerely  willing  the  scheme  should  be 
disappointed  if  it  be  not  consistent  with  the  greater 
purposes  of  his  glory,  yea,  will  not  be  remarkably 
subservient  to  them.  I  depend  on  him  for  direction 


116  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

in  this  affair,  and  assistance  and  success  if  I  under 
take  it.  While  I  am  waiting  his  determination,  I 
would  apply  more  diligently  to  my  proper  business, 
and  act  more  steadily  by  the  rules  I  have  laid  down 
for  my  conduct.  May  He  grant  that  in  all  my  schemes 
relating  to  public  service,  I  may,  as  much  as  possible, 
divest  myself  of  all  regard  to  my  own  ease  and  repu 
tation,  and  set  myself  seriously  to  consider  what  I  can 
do  for  the  honor  of  the  Redeemer  and  the  good  of  the 
world." 

As  he  was  entering  upon  the  undertaking,  his  re 
flections  were  exceedingly  appropriate  and  impressive: 

"  Providence  is  opening  a  prospect  of  much  great 
er  usefulness  than  before,  though  attended  with  vast 
labor  and  difficulty.  In  divine  strength  I  go  forth  to 
the  work,  and  resolve  upon  the  most  careful  and  vig 
orous  discharge  of  all  the  duties  incumbent  on  me,  to 
labor  for  the  instruction  and  watch  for  the  souls  of 
my  pupils.  I  intend  to  have  some  discourse  with 
them  on  the  LordVday  evenings  on  subjects  of  inward 
religion.  I  will  endeavor  to  give  a  serious  turn  to 
our  conversation  at  other  times,  and  always  bear  them 
on  my  heart  before  God  with  great  tenderness  and 
affection.  I  will  labor  to  keep  such  an  inspection 
over  them  as  may  be  necessary  to  discover  their 
capacities,  tempers,  and  failings,  that  I  may  behave 
in  a  suitable  manner  to  them.  In  all,  I  will  main 
tain  a  humble  dependence  on  Divine  influences,  to 
lead  me  in  the  path  of  duty  and  prudence,  and  enable 
me  to  behave  in  a  way  answerable  to  the  character 
in  which  I  appear,  and  those  agreeable  expectations 
which  many  of  my  friends  have  entertained  of  me. 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  ACADEMY.      117 

"  Considering  the  work  before  me,  I  would  set 
myself  with  peculiar  diligence  to  maintain  and  in 
crease  the  life  of  religion  in  my  own  soul,  and  a  con 
stant  sense  of  the  Divine  presence  and  love ;  for  I  find, 
when  this  is  maintained,  nothing  gives  me  any  con 
siderable  disquiet,  and  I  have  vigor  and  resolution  of 
spirit  to  carry  me  through  my  labors.  When  I  am 
conscious  of  the  want  of  this,  and  any  inconsistency 
of  behavior  towards  the  divine  Being,  it  throws  a 
damp  on  my  vigor  and  resolution;  yea,  on  all  the 
other  pleasures  of  life.  In  order  to  maintain  this 
habitual,  delightful  sense  of  God,  I  would  frequently 
renew  my  dedication  to  Him,  in  that  covenant  on 
which  all  my  hopes  depend,  and  my  resolutions  for 
universal,  zealous  obedience.  I  will  study  redeeming 
love  more,  and  habitually  resign  myself  and  all  my 
concerns  to  the  divine  disposal.  I  am  going  to  ex 
press  and  seal  these  resolutions  at  the  Lord's  table; 
and  may  this  be  the  happy  period  from  which  shall 
commence  better  days  of  religion  and  usefulness  than 
I  have  ever  yet  known." 

Having  entered  upon  the  work  with  these  com 
prehensive  views  and  earnest  dependence  on  God,  he 
diligently  reviewed  his  course  of  academical  studies, 
he  corresponded  with  Dr.  Watts  and  other  celebrated 
divines  upon  the  subject,  and  gathered  works  on  edu 
cation  which  furnished  him  with  instructive  hints, 
which  he  reduced  to  writing;  indeed,  he  employed 
every  judicious  method  of  improving  his  means  of 
usefulness  in  this  new  direction  of  his  active  mind  and 
devout  heart. 

It  was   about  this  time  that  a  proposition  was 


118  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

made  to  Mr.  Doddridge  to  go  to  Northampton  and 
take  charge  of  the  congregation  meeting  on  Castle 
Hill.  Of  this,  and  of  his  settlement  at  Northampton, 
we  here  give  a  short  account. 

The  dissenting  congregation  worshipping  at  Castle 
Hill  in  Northampton,  being  destitute  of  a  pastor,  Mr. 
Doddridge,  with  other  neighboring  ministers,  occa 
sionally  supplied  them  •  and  so  acceptable  did  his  ser 
vices  prove,  that  the  congregation  were  determined 
upon  endeavoring  to  secure  his  removal  from  Har- 
borough  to  Northampton.  This  was  strongly  opposed 
by  his  earnest  friend  the  Rev.  Mr.  Some,  who  had 
been  most  active  in  locating  the  theological  academy 
at  Harborough,  where  he  himself  resided,  and  rejoiced 
in  the  society  of  Doddridge.  He  went  to  Northamp 
ton  to  endeavor  to  persuade  the  congregation  that  it 
was  not  right  for  them  to  press  their  application  for 
Doddridge's  pastoral  services;  but,  during  his  visit, 
was  so  impressed  with  the  earnest  zeal  of  the  people 
to  secure  this  advantage,  that  he  changed  his  views 
and  acquiesced  in  the  design.  The  following  corre 
spondence  will  set  this  matter  in  the  best  light,  illus 
trating  the  careful  and  conscientious  manner  in  which 
the  young  candidate  for  the  place  conducted  his  de 
liberations  and  decisions. 

From  the  Rev.  David  Some. 

"  October,  1729. 

"  I  doubt  not  that  you  are  impatient  to  know  the 
result  of  my  negotiations  at  Northampton.  I  preached 
from  these  words  :  *  Have  salt  in  yourselves,  and  have 
peace  one  with  another.'  Mark  9  : 50.  I  managed 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  ACADEMY.  119 

the  argument  in  the  best  way  I  could,  with  a  view  to 
present  circumstances.  After  the  sermon  we  had  a 
full  vestry,  when  I  opened  the  debate  with  a  frank 
acknowledgment  of  the  warmth  of  my  own  temper, 
and  begged  that  we  might  there  consider  one  another 
as  only  provoked  unto  love  and  to  good  works.  I 
represented  the  former  scheme  of  the  academy,  and 
the  engagements  you  were  under,  in  the  strongest 
light.  Upon  the  whole,  the  hearts  of  the  people  are 
moved  altogether  as  the  trees  of  a  wood  when  bent 
by  the  wind  •  and  they  are  under  such  strong  impres 
sions  about  your  coming  to  them,  that  it  is  impossible 
for  a  man  to  converse  with  them  without  feeling 
something  for  them.  The  mentioning  of  your  name 
diffuses  life  and  spirit  through  the  whole  body,  and 
nothing  can  be  heard  but  '  Mr.  Doddridge.' 

"  I  find  myself  in  the  utmost  perplexity,  and  know 
not  what  to  say  or  do.  I  believe  you  will  hear  of 
them  again  in  a  little  time.  I  apprehend  that  you 
will  wonder  at  what  I  write,  but  I  think  I  am  like 
Saul  among  the  prophets,  and  that  the  same  spirit 
which  is  in  the  people  begins  to  seize  me  also.  What 
shall  I  say  ?  Is  this  a  call  from  God  to  break  former 
measures?  or  is  it  a  divine  rebuke  upon  you  for  too 
unguarded  a  way  of  talking  ?  The  matter  requires 
the  closest  consideration." 

To  the  Rey.  Dr.  Wright. 

"  November  3,  1729. 

"  The  affair  of  Northampton  is  now  come  to  such 
a  crisis  that  I  think  it  highly  proper  to  lay  it  before 
you,  and  beg  the  favor  of  your  advice  upon  it.  The 
congregation  there,  which  is  very  numerous,  has  given 


120  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

me  a  unanimous  invitation  to  come  to  settle  among 
them ;  and  their  conduct  has  been  marked  with  every 
expression  of  affection  that  can  be  imagined,  and  the 
subject  has  been  urged  again  and  again,  after  repeat 
ed  denials,  with  an  importunity  which  nothing  could 
have  supported  but  an  apprehension  that  it  was  the 
will  of  God  that  they  should  pursue  this  attempt  to 
the  utmost. 

"  They  willingly  consent  to  my  bringing  my  little 
academy  with  me,  and  engage  to  leave  me  my  morn 
ings  and  evenings  to  be  employed  in  studying  and  in 
lecturing,  contenting  themselves  with  so  much  visiting 
as  I  can  find  time  for  in  the  afternoons.  They  make 
the  most  generous  proposal  to  facilitate  the  circum 
stances  of  my  removal,  and  cheerfully  offer  to  indem 
nify  Mrs.  Jennings  for  any  expense  she  may  have  been 
at,  in  providing  for  the  accommodation  of  my  pupils. 
They  also  urge  that  if  I  do  not  come  they  shall  be 
utterly  at  a  loss  for  a  minister,  and  have  no  hope  of 
joining  so  unanimously  in  any  other  person. 

"On  the  other  hand,  there  are  several  objections 
against  accepting  this  call,  which  I  cannot  by  any 
means  get  over,  and  which  I  desire  you  to  take  into 
most  serious  consideration,  and  I  believe  you  will 
think  them  of  considerable  weight.  I  am  not  certain 
that  I  could  conform  myself  so  far  to  the  taste  of  the 
people,  which  is  very  different  from  what  I  have  been 
accustomed  to,  as  to  please  them  long  either  in  con 
versation  or  in  the  pulpit.  Again,  if  there  be  any 
thing  in  my  preaching  which  is  above  the  lowest  taste 
and  genius,  it  will  certainly  be  lost  to  nine  parts  out 
of  ten  of  that  auditory.  But  the  grand  objection,  and 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  ACADEMY.      121 

that  which  weighs  with  me  more  than  any  other,  is 
what  relates  to  the  academy.  I  have  been  several 
years  preparing  for  the  business  of  a  tutor,  and  my 
full  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Jennings'  scheme  seems  to 
give  me  some  advantages  for  pursuing  it  beyond  some 
others  who  are  much  my  superiors  both  in  genius  and 
in  learning.  I  am  now  entered  on  a  preparatory 
course  with  all  the  agreeable  circumstances  I  could 
wish.  Should  I  remove  with  my  pupils  to  Northamp 
ton,  the  advantages  peculiar  to  Harborough  must  not 
only  be  given  up,  but  most  of  them  must  be  exchanged 
for  contrary  circumstances. 

"  On  the  whole,  sir,  I  do  not  ask  you  whether  you 
would  advise  me  to  accept  of  Northampton  and  to  lay 
down  the  business  of  a  tutor ;  for  the  great  pleasure  I 
find  in  it,  and  my  hope  of  much  usefulness  in  that 
character,  and  my  repeated  engagements  to  devote 
myself  to  its  duties,  both  in  the  pulpit  and  to  those 
friends  who  have  sent  me  their  sons,  prevent  my 
entertaining  a  thought  of  that  nature :  the  only  ques- 
tion  is,  whether  under  present  circumstances  you 
would  advise  me  to  undertake  both,  or  to  send  an 
absolute  refusal  to  Northampton. 

"  I  beg  that  you  would  communicate  this  letter  to 
Dr.  Calamy,  and  any  other  friend  whom  you  may 
think  it  proper  to  consult.  I  desire  the  favor  of  a 
speedy  answer,  and  a  continued  remembrance  in  your 
prayers." 

The  result  of  Mr.  Doddridge's  correspondence  and 
reflections  upon  this  important  question,  will  be  seen 
in  the  following  excellent  letter. 

Doddrldge.  fi 


122  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

To  the  Congregation  at  Northampton. 

"December  6,  1729. 

"  MY  DEAE  FKIENDS — After  a  serious  and  impartial 
consideration  of  your  case,  and  repeated  addresses  to 
the  great  Father  of  light  for  his  guidance  and  direc 
tion,  I  can  at  length  assure  you  that  I  am  determined, 
by  his  permission,  to  accept  of  your  kind*  invitation, 
and  undertake  the  pastoral  care  of  you,  with  the  most 
ardent  feelings  of  sincere  gratitude  and  affection. 

"  You  will  easily  apprehend  that  I  could  not  form 
this  resolution  without  a  great  deal  of  anguish,  both 
with  regard  to  those  friends  whom  I  am  called  upon  to 
resign,  and  in  reference  to  that  great  and  difficult  work 
which  lies  before  me,  in  the  care  of  your  large  con 
gregation  and  my  academy.  But  I  hope  that  I  have 
sincerely  devoted  my  soul  to  God  and  my  Redeemer  • 
and  therefore  I  would  humbly  yield  myself  up  to  what, 
in  present  circumstances,  I  apprehend  to  be  his  will. 
I  take  this  important  step  with  fear  and  trembling, 
yet  with  a  humble  confidence  in  HIM,  and  with  the 
hope  that,  in  the  midst  of  these  great  difficulties,  he 
will  not  leave  me  entirely  destitute  of  that  presence 
which  I  desire  to  prefer  to  every  thing  which  life  can 
bestow. 

"  As  for  you,  my  brethren,  let  me  entreat  you, 
that  if  there  be  any  consolation  in  Christ,  if  any  com 
fort  of  love,  if  any  fellowship  of  the  Spirit,  if  any  bow 
els  of  mercy,  fulfil  ye  my  joy.  Let  me  beseech  you  to 
remember  that,  by  accepting  your  call,  I  have  entrust 
ed  the  happiness  of  my  life  into  your  hands.  Prepare 
yourselves,  therefore,  to  .pover  my  many  infirmities 
with  the  mantle  of  your  love,  and  continue  to  treat 


HIS  THEOLOGICAL  ACADEMY.  123 

me  with  the  same  kindness  and  gentleness  as  those 
dear  and  excellent  friends  have  done  whom  I  am  now 
about  to  leave,  in  compassion  to  your  souls ;  for  God 
knows  that  no  temporal  advantage  you  could  have 
offered  would  have  engaged  me  to  relinquish  them. 

"  May  my  heavenly  Father  comfort  my  heart  in 
what  is  now  determined,  by  giving  an  abundant  suc 
cess  to  my  ministrations  among  you,  so  that  a  multi 
tude  of  souls  may  have  reason  to  praise  him  on  that 
account ;  and  let  me  beg  that  you  will  bear  me  daily 
on  your  hearts  before  his  throne  in  prayer,  and  seek 
for  me  that  extraordinary  assistance,  without  which  I 
must  infallibly  sink  under  the  great  work  I  have  thus 
undertaken. 

"I  shall  continue  to  recommend  you,  my  dearly 
beloved,  to  the  grace  of  Almighty  God,  the  great 
Shepherd  of  his  sheep,  with  that  affection  which  now 
so  peculiarly  becomes  your  most  devoted  friend  and 
servant  in  the  bonds  of  our  common  Lord, 

"PHILIP  DODDRIDGE." 

Only  a  few  days  before  this  letter  was  written,  he 
had  concluded  to  remain  at  Harborough,  and  yet  felt 
it  a  duty  "  to  lay  down  his  good  friends  at  North 
ampton  as  gently  as  he  could."  Accordingly,  he  went 
over  there  and  preached  from  the  appropriate  words, 
"And  when  he  would  not  be  persuaded,  we  ceased,  say 
ing,  The  will  of  the  Lord  be  done."  Acts  21: 14.  By  a 
providential  circumstance  he  was  detained  there  until 
the  following  Wednesday,  during  the  whole  of  which 
interval,  he  says,  "I  was  besieged  by  the  friendly 
importunities  of  the  congregation ;  and  when,  before 
I  went  away,  the  young  people  came  to  me  in  a  body, 


124  PHILIP  DODDKIDGE. 

and  earnestly  entreated  me  to  come  among  them, 
promising  to  submit  to  all  such  methods  of  instruction 
as  I  should  think  proper,  I  found  my  heart  so  much 
melted  with  their  affectionate  fervor,  that  I  was  no 
longer  master  of  myself,  and  agreed  to  take  the  affair 
into  consideration  again.  Upon  the  whole  I  was  per 
suaded  in  my  conscience  that  it  was  my  duty  to  accept 
their  invitation ;  and  God  is  my  witness,  that  when  I 
did  accept  it,  which  was  on  the  Saturday  night  after 
wards,  it  was  with  the  utmost  reluctance.  I  acted, 
indeed,  without  the  advice  of  almost  any  of  my  friends, 
and  directly  contrary  to  that  of  some  for  whom  I  had 
a  very  high  regard ;  but  I  thought  myself  obliged  in 
conscience  to  act  according  to  my  own  views,  as  it  is 
certain  I  must  answer  for  myself  another  day." 

At  the  time  Mr.  Doddridge  was  invited  to  North 
ampton,  that  church  was  partly  Presbyterian,  and 
partly  Congregational.  As  the  female  members  had 
no  vote  in  the  choice  of  a  pastor,  tradition  has  pre 
served  the  fact,  that  such  was  their  desire  to  obtain 
his  services,  that  before  the  brethren  met  to  consider 
the  matter,  they  held  a  solemn  meeting  for  prayer, 
and  sent  two  venerable  ladies  to  the  brethren  to  ex 
press  their  earnest  and  unanimous  desire  that  a  call 
should  be  sent  to  him.  It  is  said  that  this  circum 
stance  solemnly  impressed  the  minds  of  the  brethren, 
and  afterwards  had  considerable  influence  on  the  de 
cision  of  the  pastor  elect. 

The  diary  of  Doddridge  says,  "I  began  house 
keeping  about  the  13th  of  January,  and  took  posses- 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  125 

sion  of  that  character  in  which  I  hope  to  spend  most 
of  the  remaining  studious  hours  of  my  life." 

On  this  occasion  he  called  together  several  of  his 
friends  to  spend  an  evening  in  prayer  for  the  presence 
and  blessing  of  G-od  in  his  new  abode :  he  expounded 
to  them  Psalm  101 ;  and  made  known  his  solemn  pur 
poses  and  resolutions  respecting  the  government  of 
his  family. 

He  entered  deeply  into  an  examination  of  his  own 
heart,  and  discovering  that  practical  religion  had 
therein  declined,  in  consequence  of  the  interruptions 
and  anxieties  attendant  upon  leaving  Harborough, 
and  preparing  for  a  new  scene  of  action,  he  addressed 
himself  to  the  recovery  of  his  spiritual  strength  and 
devotion.  Among  other  methods  adopted  for  this 
purpose,  he  set  apart  a  day  for  fasting,  humiliation, 
and  prayer,  to  animate  his  own  soul,  and  engage  the 
Divine  blessing  on  his  family,  studies,  and  labors.  On 
such  days  of  special  devotion  he  proposed  to  himself 
the  following  course  of  action : 

"  The  Saturday  immediately  preceding  the  Lord's 
day  on  which  the  Lord's  supper  is  to  be  administered, 
I  propose  to  spend  as  a  day  of  extraordinary  devotion. 
I  will  endeavor  to  have  all  my  business  dispatched, 
and  whatever  is  necessary  to  my  preparation  for  such 
a  day,  on  Friday  night ;  particularly  I  will  look  over 
my  diary,  and  other  memorandums,  which  may  be  of 
use  to  me  in  the  fast  itself.  I  will  rise  early;  en 
deavor,  while  rising,  to  fix  on  my  mind  a  sense  of 
God  and  my  own  unworthiness,  and  will  then  solemn 
ly  address  myself  to  God  for  his  assistance  in  all  the 
particular  services  of  the  day,  of  which  I  will  form  a 


126  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

more  particular  plan  than  this.  I  will  then  read,  and 
afterwards  expound  in  the  family  some  portion  of 
Scripture  peculiarly  suitable  to  such  an  occasion,  and 
will  make  a  collection  of  such  lessons. 

"  After  family  worship,  I  will  retire  and  pray  over 
the  portion  of  Scripture  I  have  been  explaining.  I 
will  then  set  myself  to  revive  the  memory  of  my  past 
conduct,  especially  since  the  last  season  of  this  kind. 
I  will  put  such  questions  as  these  to  myself :  '  What 
care  have  I  taken  in  the  exercises  of  devotion  ?  What 
regard  have  I  maintained  to  God  in  the  intervals  of 
it  ?  What  diligence  have  I  used  in  regarding  provi 
dence,  and  redeeming  time  ?  What  command  have  I 
exercised  over  my  appetites  and  passions?  What 
concern  have  I  had  to  discharge  relative  duties? 
How  have  I  relished  the  peculiar  doctrines  of  the 
gospel  ?  And  upon  the  whole,  how  am  I  advancing 
in  my  journey  to  a  better  world  ?'  I  will  then  record 
my  sins  with  their  peculiar  aggravations,  that  I  may 
humble  myself  before  God  for  them ;  and  my  mercies, 
with  the  circumstances  that  set  them  off,  that  I  may 
return  fervent  thanks  for  them.  Having  made  a  cat 
alogue  of  hints  on  both  these  subjects,  I  will  spend 
some  time  in  meditation  upon  them,  and  having  read 
some  psalms  or  hymns  which  speak  the  language  of 
godly  sorrow,  I  will  go  into  the  presence  of  God,  par 
ticularly  confessing  my  sins  and  the  demerit  of  them, 
solemnly  renouncing  them,  and  renewing  my  covenant 
against  them.  I  will  then  consider  what  methods  are 
proper  to  be  taken,  that  I  may  avoid  them  in  future. 

"A  devotional  lecture  to  my  pupils  will  be  an 
important  part  of  the  work  of  this  day.     I  will,  after 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  127 

that,  spend  some  time  in  prayer  for  them,  my  family, 
and  people.  The  remainder  of  my  work  shall  be 
praise,  with  which  I  think  I  ought  to  conclude  even 
days  of  humiliation ;  though  sometimes  a  larger  or  a 
smaller  space  of  time  shall  be  allotted  to  this  work, 
as  peculiar  circumstances  require.  After  a  little 
refreshment,  I  will  converse  with  some  of  my  pupils 
privately  about  inward  religion,  which  I  may  do  with 
some  peculiar  advantages,  after  having  been  lecturing 
them  on  such  a  subject,  and  so  particularly  praying 
for  them.  I  would  spend  the  evening  in  grave  con 
versation  with  some  pious  friends  with  whom  I  can 
use  great  freedom  as  to  the  state  of  their  souls ;  and 
at  night  review  the  whole,  and  conclude  the  day  with 
some  religious  exercises  suited  to  the  work  in  which 
I  have  been  engaged,  and  the  frame  of  my  own  soul, 
and  will  keep  an  account  of  what  passeth  at  these 
seasons.  My  God,  assist  me  in  this  important  duty. 
Make  it  so  comfortable  and  useful  to  me,  that  I  may 
have  reason  to  praise  thee  that  my  thoughts  were 
directed  and  my  resolutions  determined  to  it." 

In  the  review  of  all  the  circumstances  attendant 
on  this  important  removal,  we  are  struck  with  Dod- 
dridge's  firm  adherence  to  what  he  judged  to  be  the 
path  of  duty.  With  this  step  the  lady  who  for  many 
years  had  bestowed  upon  him  the  fostering  care  of 
parental  tenderness  was  much  dissatisfied,  and  her 
daughter,  in  whom,  with  the  confiding  security  of  mu 
tual  affection,  his  future  hopes  of  domestic  happiness 
had  fondly  centred,  united  with  her  mother  in  oppo 
sition  to  it.  Some  of  his  endeared  clerical  friends 


128  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

also,  he  says,  "blamed  me  exceedingly;  so  that  I 
never  spent  any  days  in  my  life  in  such  deep,  bitter, 
uninterrupted  anguish,  as  those  which  preceded  my 
removal  from  Harborough." 

After  his  settlement,  and  previous  to  his  ordina 
tion,  with  a  view  to  prepare  himself  for  the  arduous 
pastoral  work  which  he  had  undertaken,  he  studied 
the  best  treatises  relating  to  the  qualifications  and 
duties  of  pastors,  such  as  "  Chrysostom  on  the  Priest 
hood,"  "Bowies'  Pastor  Evangelicus,"  "Burnet  on 
the  Pastoral  Care,"  and  "  Baxter's  Reformed  Pastor." 
He  consulted  the  memoirs  of  distinguished  ministers, 
and  was  particularly  profited  by  that  of  Philip  Henry. 
From  these  books  he  carefully  selected  and  recorded, 
and  often  reviewed,  the  most  important  counsels,  re 
flections,  and  motives  of  action  which  he  found.  He 
also  collected  various  maxims  of  prudence  and  discre 
tion,  which,  if  acted  upon,  were  adapted  to  promote  a 
minister's  reputation  and  usefulness. 

About  two  months  after  commencing  his  labors  at 
Northampton,  they  were  arrested  by  a  severe  and 
dangerous  illness  of  several  weeks.  From  this  ill 
ness  he  had  but  partially  recovered  when  the  day 
arrived  that  had  been  fixed  for  his  ordination,  the 
proceedings  of  which  are  preserved  in  the  following 
account  from  his  own  pen : 

"  NORTHAMPTON,  March  19,  1730. 

"  The  afflicting  hand  of  God  upon  me  hindered  me 
from  making  that  preparation  for  the  solemnities  of 
this  day,  which  I  could  otherwise  have  desired. 
However,  I  hope  it  hath  long  been  my  sincere  desire 
to  dedicate  myself  to  him  in  the  work  of  the  minis- 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  129 

try ;  and  that  the  views  with  which  I  determined  to 
undertake  the  office,  and  which  I  this  day  solemnly 
professed,  have  long  since  been  seriously  impressed 
on  my  heart. 

"  The  work  of  the  day  was  fulfilled  in  a  very  honor 
able  and  agreeable  manner.  Mr.  Goodrich  of  Oun- 
dle  commenced  the  service  by  prayer  and  reading 
the  Scriptures.  Mr.  Dawson  of  Hinckley  continued 
those  exercises;  and  then  Mr.  Watson  of  Leicester 
preached  a  suitable  sermon  froml  Tim.  3  •  1, '  This  is  a 
true  saying,  If  a  man  desire  the  office  of  a  bishop,  he 
desireth  a  good  work.'  After  the  sermon,  Mr.  Norris 
of  Welford  read  the  Call  of  the  Church,  of  which  I  de 
clared  my  acceptance :  he  then  received  my  confession 
of  faith  and  ordination  vows,  and  proceeded  to  set 
me  apart  by  prayer :  Mr.  Clarke  of  St.  Albans  gave 
the  charge  to  me,  and  Mr.  Saunders  of  Ketterihg  the 
exhortation  to  the  people ;  then  Mr.  Mattock  of  Dav- 
entry  concluded  the  solemnity  with  prayer. 

"  I  cannot  but  admire  the  goodness  of  God  in  thus 
accepting  me  in  the  office  of  a  minister,  while  I  do 
not  deserve  to  be  owned  by  him  as  one  of  the  mean 
est  of  his  servants.  I  firmly  determine,  in  the  strength 
of  divine  grace,  that  I  will  be  faithful  to  God  and  the 
souls  committed  to  my  charge,  and  thus  perform  what 
I  have  so  solemnly  sworn. 

"The  severe  indisposition  under  which  I  labor  gives 
me  some  apprehension  that  this  settlement  may  be 
very  short;  but,  through  mercy,  I  am  not  anxious 
about  it,  for  I  have  a  cheerful  hope  that  the  God  to 
whom  I  have  this  day  devoted  my  services,  with  more 
solemnity  than  ever,  will  graciously  accept  them,  either 

6* 


130  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

in  this  world  or  in  a  better,  and  I  am  not  solicitous 
where  or  how.  If  I  know  any  thing  of  my  heart,  I 
trust  I  may  adopt  the  words  of  the  apostle,  that  it  is 
'  my  earnest  expectation  and  my  hope,  that  in  nothing 
I  shall  be  ashamed,  but  that  Christ  shall  be  magni 
fied  in  my  body,  whether  it  be  by  life  or  by  death;' 
that  '  to  me  to  live  is  Christ/  and  to  die  would  be 
an  unspeakable  gain. 

"  May  this  day  never  be  forgotten  by  me,  nor  the 
dear  people  committed  to  my  charge,  whom  I  would 
humbly  recommend  to  the  care  of  the  great  Shep 
herd." 

Here  may  be  inserted  the  following  letter,  as  it 
serves  to  illustrate  some  of  the  qualifications  which 
Mr.  Doddridge  possessed,  in  so  eminent  a  degree,  for 
the  pastoral  office.  It  shows  that  he  spared  no  pains 
in  the  endeavor  to  do  good. 

To  Miss  King, 
[  Who  was  preparing  for  a  voyage  to  India.] 

"NORTHAMPTON,  Feb.  14,  1730. 

"  Many  of  our  foreign  governors  live  in  a  kind  of 
princely  magnificence,  so  that  you  will  really  need 
almost  as  much  wisdom  as  if  you  were  going  to  court. 
You  will  at  least  hear  a  great  deal  of  flattery,  the 
shame  of  our  sex.  and  too  often  the  ruin  of  your  own  ; 
but  remember  that  the  serpents  which  conceal  the 
sharpest  and  most  fatal  stings,  sometimes  lurk  beneath 
the  sweetest  flowers ;  and  that  the  most  designing  en 
emy  may  accost  you  with  the  softest  air,  and  the  most 
smiling  countenance.  On  the  other  hand,  madam,  it 
is  very  uncertain  what  advantages  of  a  religious  na- 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  131 

tore  you  may  enjoy  to  counterbalance  these  ensnaring 
circumstances.  Yet  I  think  I  may  venture  to  say, 
that  whithersoever  you  go,  were  it  even  in  your  own 
country,  and  much  more  in  a  foreign  land,  it  is  a 
thousand  to  one  but  that  you  exchange  for  the  worse 
when  you  quit  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Jennings,  with 
whose  excellent  character  I  am  well  acquainted. 

"  When  I  consider  these  things  I  cannot  but  think 
that,  humanly  speaking,  there  is  reason  to  fear  that 
the  impressions  of  a  religious  education  will  wear 
off  your  mind,  and  the  vain  allurements  of  an  ensnar 
ing  world  possess  themselves  of  your  heart,  till  by 
insensible  degrees  your  soul  may  be  endangered.  I 
say  not  these  things  to  dissuade  you  from  the  voyage, 
were  it  in  my  power ;  but  I  represent  the  case  in  all 
its  dangerous  circumstances,  so  far  as  I  apprehend 
them,  that  you  may  be  awakened  to  a  proper  care  in 
providing  against  them.  And  here  it  is  evident  that 
3Tour  only  security  is  in  the  protection  of  that  God  who 
has  the  elements  under  his  command,  and  who,  by  his 
secret  but  powerful  influence  on  the  mind,  can  preserve 
it  in  the  midst  of  temptation  and  brighten  it  by  trial. 

"  My  advice  is,  therefore,  that  before  you  begin  this 
important  and  doubtful  voyage,  you  repeatedly  ex 
amine  into  the  state  of  your  soul  with  regard  to  God 
and  eternity.  Let  it  be  your  immediate  and  diligent 
inquiry,  whether  you  have  resolutely  and  entirely 
devoted  yourself  to  God,  with  a  humble  dependence 
on  the  merits  of  his  Son,  and  the  assistance  of  his 
Spirit,  to  form  you  to  a  holy  temper,  and  animate 
you  to  a  zealous  discharge  of  the  duties  he  requires. 
If  you  have  not  yet  entered  into  this  covenant,  or 


132  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

are  dubious  whether  you  have  done  it,  let  it  now  be 
your  immediate  care  to  do  it  with  the  most  serious 
consideration,  as  knowing  it  to  be  absolutely  neces 
sary  for  your  security  and  happiness  in  the  safest  and 
most  cheering  circumstances  of  life,  and  how  much 
more  so  in  such  as  have  been  described.  Permit  me 
to  advise  you  to  confirm  it  in  the  most  solemn  manner 
at  the  table  of  the  Lord.  There  commit  your  life  and 
your  hopes  to  his  providential  care.  Open  your  heart 
to  the  influences  of  his  grace,  and  publicly  avow  a 
determinate  resolution  that  you  will  be  the  Lord's; 
that  you  will  be  constantly  and  eternally  His;  and 
that  in  the  strength  of  his  Spirit,  neither  life  nor 
death  shall  separate  you  from  him. 

"  When  this  is  done,  you  will  be  armed  against  the 
uncertainties  of  life,  and  the  prospect  of  death  in 
whatever  form  it  may  appear.  Your  soul  may  be 
calm  in  the  midst  of  the  tempest,  when  thunders  roll, 
and  the  waves  are  foaming  and  roaring  around  you ; 
when  the  hearts  of  the  most  experienced  and  coura 
geous  mariners  are  dismayed,  you,  with  all  the  ten 
derness  of  your  age  and  sex,  may  feel  a  sweet  tran 
quillity,  as  the  charge  and  favorite  of  Him  who  has 
universal  nature  under  his  control.  Or  should  the 
dreadful  moment  of  shipwreck  come,  while  ungodly 
wretches  are  meeting  the  first  death  with  unknown 
agony,  as  apprehending  that  it  will  transmit  them  to 
the  terrors  of  the  second,  you  may  smile  with  holy 
transport;  and  when  you  see  the  rays  of  heavenly 
glory  shooting  through  the  gloomy  passage,  as  Mr. 
Howe  beautifully  expresses  it,  'embrace  the  friendly 
wave  which  will  land  you  in  heaven.7 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  133 

"  On  the  other  hand,  should  Providence,  according 
to  my  affectionate  and  repeated  prayers,  conduct  you 
in  safety  to  your  intended  harbor,  your  early  and  sin 
cere  devotedness  to  God  will  secure  you  in  the  midst 
of  temptation — not  indeed  in  the  strength  of  your  own 
virtue,  but  in  the  watchful  care  of  the  good  Shepherd, 
who  tenderly  carries  the  lambs  of  his  flock  in  his 
bosom :  every  thing  splendid  and  pleasing  around 
you,  instead  of  alienating  your  heart  from  God,  may 
be  a  means  of  raising  it  to  him.  The  advantages  of 
your  circumstances  may  be  improved  to  the  noblest 
purposes,  and  you  may  appear  in  that  conspicuous  sta 
tion,  as  raised  by  Providence  to  display  the  charms 
of  virtue,  and  to  recommend  religion  to  others  ;  as  it 
cannot  appear  in  a  more  amiable  light,  than  when 
practised  by  the  young  who  are  surrounded  with  the 
allurements  of  greatness. 

"  I  hope  that  God  will  inspire  you  with  a  glorious 
ambition  of  being  eminently  honorable  and  useful  in 
life.  And  for  your  assistance  in  this  noble  attempt, 
I  will  presume  so  far  upon  your  patience  as  to  offer 
you  some  more  particular  advice,  submitting  it  to 
your  deliberate  reflection,  that  you  may  judge  how  far 
it  is  necessary  or  important. 

"  As  God  is  the  support  of  the  whole  world,  so  I 
believe  all  who  are  experimentally  acquainted  with 
religion,  will  readily  allow  that  a  proper  and  constant 
regard  to  God  is  their  best  support.  I  would  there 
fore,  madam,  exhort  you  to  the  most  diligent  care  in 
maintaining  such  regards.  Let  no  day  pass  without 
some  humble  and  affectionate  visits  to  the  throne  of 
grace,  and  rejoice  to  think  that  whithersoever  you 


134  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

go,  you  are  still  in  a  province  of  that  universal  em 
pire  over  which  He  presides ;  and  as  He  is  your  best 
friend,  remember,  I  entreat  you,  that  neither  duty  nor 
prudence  will  permit  you  to  neglect  him.  Let  secret 
prayer  and  reading  the  Scriptures  always  be  attended 
to  with  great  diligence ;  and  fix  it  as  a  maxim  in  your 
mind,  that  however  other  outward  forms  may  be  gone 
through,  devotion  is  in  effect  neglected,  if  these  duties 
are  not  seriously  and  heartily  performed. 

"Thankfully  improve  all  those  public  advantages 
which  you  may  there  enjoy  for  the  good  of  your  soul ; 
for  I  should  be  much  concerned  if  you  were  to  go 
abroad  with  a  contempt  for  all  religious  opportu 
nities  which  are  not  just  such  as  you  could  wish. 
Though  a  form  be  probably  less  suited  to  your  taste 
as  well  as  to  mine,  than  the  prayers  we  have  been 
accustomed  to,  yet  the  divine  influence  may  make  it 
very  refreshing.  I  doubt  not  that  many  pious  souls 
in  the  established  church  have  daily  converse  with 
God  in  its  offices,  a  thought  in  which  I  heartily  re 
joice.  I  hope  Providence  will  so  order  it,  that  you 
may  have  the  assistance  of  a  clergyman  who  will  not 
only  be  careful  to  speak  the  words  of  soberness,  but 
will,  throughout  the  whole  of  his  ministrations  and 
conversation,  be  animated  by  a  deep  and  lively  sense 
of  religion,  an  ardent  zeal  for  the  honor  of  God,  and 
a  tender  concern  for  the  salvation  of  souls.  But  if  it 
should  happen  otherwise,  endeavor  to  make  the  best 
of  what  you  hear,  and  carry  a  few  good  books  with 
you,  which  may,  in  part,  make  up  for  the  want  of 
more  suitable  public  assistance.  You  may  thus  have 
an  opportunity  of  hearing  some  of  our  preachers  al- 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  135 

most  every  day,  and  may  be  secure  of  meeting  with 
some  of  the  most  valuable  of  their  discourses.  I 
would  on  this  occasion  recommend  to  you  '  Dr.  Watts' 
Sermons/  'Hymns,  Psalms,  and  Lyric  Poems;'  Dr. 
Evans'  '  Christian  Temper/  and  '  Sermons  to  Young 
People/  Stennett's  'Reasonableness  of  Early  Piety/ 
and,  I  had  almost  said  above  all  the  rest,  Dr. 
Wright's  'Treatise  on  Regeneration/  and  of  'The 
Deceitfulness  of  Sin.'  I  see  not  well  how  any  of  these 
can  be  spared,  and  I  shall  desire  you  to  accept  of  the 
two  last,  bound  together,  as  a  small  testimony  of  my 
sincere  friendship. 

"  Above  all,  I  would  earnestly  entreat  you  to  make 
the  Scriptures  very  familiar  to  your  mind.  David's 
Psalms,  Solomon's  Proverbs  and  Ecclesiastes,  and 
the  New  Testament,  are  the  parts  of  Scripture  which 
I  would  especially  recommend ;  and  I  would  entreat 
you  to  read  them,  not  in  a  hasty  and  cursory  manner, 
but  with  deep  reflection,  and  earnest  prayer  to  God 
for  the  assistance  of  his  Spirit.  On  such  a  perusal,  I 
am  confident  that  you  will  find  a  spirit,  a  beauty, 
and  a  glory  in  them,  beyond  what  the  generality  of 
the  world  apprehend.  This  guide  alone  is  incompar 
ably  preferable  to  all  the  books  and  the  friends  in  the 
world  without  it.  Follow  it  steadily  and  it  will  lead 
you  to  heaven. 

"As  to  your  behavior  to  your  fellow-creatures,  the 
directions  of  Scripture  will  be  highly  serviceable.  In 
this  most  important  article,  your  great  care,  madam, 
must  be  to  accommodate  your  own  particular  circum 
stances  to  its  general  precepts,  and  you  must  beg  that 
God  would  give  you  wisdom  to  do  it. 


136  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

"You  cannot  but  know  that  a  young  lady  is  ex 
posed  to  a  variety  of  temptations  peculiar  to  her  own 
age  and  sex,  especially  in  the  company  of  gentlemen 
whose  professions  and  conditions  in  life  may  not  in 
cline  them  to  the  greatest  sobriety  of  behavior  ;  and 
it  will  require  great  prudence  on  your  part  to  man 
age  well  here.  Your  principal  difficulty  will  be  to 
keep  yourself  free  from  those  importunities  which  are 
on  many  accounts  inconvenient.  And  here,  madam, 
I  would  by  no  means  advise  you  to  put  on  an  air 
of  severity  in  the  company  of  men,  as  if  you  were 
apprehensive  of  some  criminal  design  in  all  they  said 
or  did.  Such  a  behavior  is  so  far  from  being  orna 
mental,  that  I  will  frankly  confess  it  appears  to  me 
not  only  offensive,  but  ridiculous  and  supercilious  too. 
Yet  there  is,  if  one  knew  how  to  describe  it,  a  kind 
of  reserve  mixed  up  with  the  most  cheerful  freedom ; 
a  chastened  gayety  which  inspires  a  reverence  even 
for  the  most  gentle  charmer  •  and  would  make  a  man 
blush  at  the  secret  consciousness  of  an  irregular 
thought  with  regard  to  so  excellent,  I  had  almost 
said,  so  sacred  a  creature. 

"It  would  be  an  easy  matter  to  insist  more  co 
piously  upon  these  hints,  but  my  letter  is  grown  al 
ready  to  a  very  uncommon  size ;  and  what  is  omitted, 
if  I  judge  aright  of  your  character,  your  own  good 
sense  will  supply,  under  the  direction  of  the  word  of 
God,  and  the  influence  of  his  Spirit.  Only  let  me 
entreat  you  to  reflect  frequently  upon  your  conduct, 
for  I  am  confident  that  the  generality  of  mankind  who 
are  undone  for  time  and  eternity,  perish  not  so  much 
for  want  of  knowing  what  is  right,  as  through  that 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  13t 

failure  of  resolution  in  its  pursuit,  which  is  owing  to 
a  neglect  of  due  reflection. 

"My  hearty  prayers  shall  be  frequently  repeated, 
that  a  watchful  Providence  may  continually  surround 
you  and  give  the  winds  and  the  seas  a  charge  con 
cerning  you,  and  that  the  influences  of  His  grace  may 
secure  you  from  temptation,  and  make  you  a  lovely 
example  of  all  the  virtues  and  graces  of  Christianity ; 
so  that  you  may  ultimately  be  restored  to  your  native 
land  in  peace,  with  a  rich  increase  both  of  temporal 
and  spiritual  blessings." 

INTRODUCTION  INTO  DOMESTIC  LIFE. 

In  the  course  of  the  summer  Mr.  Doddridge  made 
an  excursion  into  Worcestershire  with  a  view  to 
recreation,  and  there  met  a  young  lady,  Miss  Mercy 
Maris,  who  possessed  varied  attractions  so  well  adapt 
ed  to  his  tastes  and  to  his  judgment,  that  he  com 
menced  on  his  return  home  a  correspondence  which 
resulted  in  her  acceptance  of  him  as  her  future  hus 
band,  and  in  their  marriage  on  the  22d  of  December, 
1730,  a  day  which  Doddridge  afterwards  with  fre 
quency  and  great  fondness  referred  to  as  the  happiest 
of  his  life.  "The  lady,"  according  to  Mr.  Hum 
phrey's  account,  "was  rather  tall,  and  presented  that 
free  and  flowing  outline  which  painters  love  to  copy. 
Her  air  and  general  carriage  had  the  easy  self-pos 
session  and  confiding  grace  which  inspire  respect  and 
bestow  comfort.  She  dressed  handsomely,  but  with 
out  assumption  j  and  if  she  was  a  little  too  critical  in 
that  particular,  the  sense  of  formality  was  lost  in  the 
vivacity  of  her  conversation,  to  which  black  eyes,  raven 


138  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

hair,  and  the  ardent  tint  which  so  often  mantles  in 
the  cheeks  of  a  brunette,  gave  a  peculiar  zest." 

It  is  not  unusual  that  letters  passing  between  those 
who  are  looking  forward  to  wedded  life  are  of  but  lit 
tle  value  except  to  themselves.  An  extract  from  one 
written  by  Doddridge  to  the  lady  of  his  choice,  about 
seven  weeks  before  their  marriage,  will  not  lessen 
either  party  in  the  esteem  of  the  Christian  reader : 

"  I  am  but  just  now  risen  from  the  table  of  the 
Lord,  and  I  am  sitting  down  to  write  to  you.  Nor 
does  my  conscience  accuse  me  for  such  a  transition. 
It  would  rather  reproach  me  if  I  had  fixed  my  affec 
tions  upon  a  lady  with  whom  I  could  not  correspond 
in  a  strain  agreeable  to  the  solemnity  of  such  an  hour. 

"  I  have  been  remembering  a  dying  Redeemer,  and 
I  have  there  been  remembering  you,  who,  I  can  truly 
say,  hold  the  next  place  in  my  heart.  May  it  ever  be 
only  the  next. 

"  I  have  been  renewing  the  dedication  of  myself 
to  God ;  and  have  been  referring  all  the  future  events 
of  my  life  to  his  care,  and  most  particularly  and 
expressly  that  dear  concern  with  you,  which  is  so 
highly  important,  and  lies  so  near  my  heart.  I  per 
suade  myself  I  am  more  likely  to  succeed  by  submit 
ting  it  to  the  all-wise  and  all-gracious  disposal  of  our 
heavenly  Father ;  and  I  rejoice  to  think,  that  as  you 
will  make  my  own  house  and  table  more  delightful  to 
me,  so  you  will  add  a  new  pleasure  to  the  house  and 
table  of  my  God.  While  I  am  thus  near  him,  it  re 
joices  my  soul  to  think  that  he  is  giving  me  a  com 
panion  in  life,  who,  instead  of  separating  me  from  him, 
will  lead  me  nearer  to  him." 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  139 

In  tins  year,  1730,  a  species  of  villany  began  to 
exhibit  itself  which  had  heretofore  been  unknown  in 
England.  Letters  were  sent  to  many  persons  demand 
ing  money,  on  the  threat  of  reducing  their  houses  to 
ashes,  in  case  of  their  demands  not  being  complied 
with.  The  evil  existed  in  Northampton,  and  Dod- 
dridge  wrote  to  Miss  Maris,  in  his  last  letter  before 
marriage,  "  The  incendiaries  are  come  to  Northamp 
ton.  Should  God  permit  them,  they  might  ruin  me 
in  an  hour.  But  I  commit  myself  to  a  watchful  and 
almighty  Providence." 

To  the  Rev.  Isaac  Watts,  D.  D. 

"  April  5,  1731. 

"  With  what  sincere  reverence  and  affection  I  can 
address  you,  I  hope,  sir,  I  need  not  express  at  large ; 
for  I  cannot  but  think  that  whenever  I  have  been  so 
happy  as  to  converse  with  you,  my  countenance  must 
have  discovered  the  inward  pleasure  which  diffused 
itself  over  my  mind  on  the  occasion.  I  am  deeply 
sensible  of  the  favor  you  have  done  me,  in  joining 
with  some  other  friends  in  recommending  me  as  a 
tutor  at  your  board.  If  I  do  not  impose  upon  myself, 
my  conscience  witnesses  for  me  in  the  sight  of  God, 
that  the  hope  of  usefulness,  rather  than  the  prospect 
of  any  secular  advantage,  has  engaged  me  to  under 
take  the  work  •  and  I  persuade  myself,  sir,  that  your 
prayers  are  sometimes  ascending  with  mine  in  suppli 
cation  that  the  great  Author  of  knowledge  and  grace 
may  impart  to  me  those  talents  and  that  piety  which 
such  an  important  station  requires,  and  thus  succeed 
my  attempts  for  the  edification  of  the  church,  and  the 
glory  of  our  common  Lord.  I  hope  indeed,  if  God 


140  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

should  continue  my  life,  to  find  in  you  a  counsellor 
and  a  friend  •  and  I  cannot  but  admire  his  goodness 
in  honoring  me  with  the  friendship  of  such  a  person. 
I  can  truly  say,  that  your  name  was  in  the  number  of 
those  dearest  to  me  long  before  I  ever  saw  you ;  yet 
since  I  have  known  you,  I  cannot  but  find  a  still  more 
tender  pleasure  in  the  thought  of  your  valuable  and 
successful  services  for  the  advancement  of  practical 
Christianity. 

"  An  accident  which  happened  here  a  few  days 
ago,  gave  me  a  pleasure  with  regard  to  you,  which  is 
still  so  warm  in  my  mind  that  I  hope  you  will  pardon 
my  relating  the  circumstance.  On  Tuesday  last  I  was 
preaching  to  a  large  assembly  of  plain  country  people 
at  a  village  a  few  miles  oif,  when,  after  a  sermon  from 
Hebrews  6:12,  we  sang  one  of  your  hymns,  which,  if 
I  remember  right,  was  the  140th  of  the  second  book." 

Give  me  the  wings  of  faith  to  rise 

Within  the  veil,  and  see 
The  saints  above,  how  great  their  joys, 

How  bright  their  glories  be. 

Once  they  were  mourning  here  below, 
And  wet  their  couch  with  tears ; 

They  wrestled  hard,  as  we  do  now, 
With  sins,  and  doubts,  and  fears. 

I  ask  them  whence  their  victory  came  ; 

They,  with  united  breath, 
Ascribe  their  conquest  to  the  Lamb, 

Their  triumph  to  his  death — etc. 

"  In  that  part  of  the  worship  I  had  the  satisfac 
tion  to  observe  tears  in  the  eyes  of  several  of  the  peo 
ple  ;  and  after  the  service  was  over,  some  of  them  told 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  141 

me  that  they  were  not  able  to  sing,  so  deeply  were 
their  minds  affected ;  the  clerk  in  particular  said  he 
could  hardly  utter  the  words  as  he  gave  them  out. 
They  were  most  of  them  poor  people,  who  work  for 
their  living,  yet  on  the  mention  of  your  name,  I  found 
that  they  had  read  several  of  your  books  with  great 
delight ;  and  that  your  psalms  and  hymns  were  almost 
their  daily  entertainment;  and  when  one  of  the  com 
pany  said,  *  What  if  Dr.  Watts  should  come  down 
to  Northampton !'  another  replied,  with  remarkable 
warmth,  '  The  very  sight  of  him  would  be  as  good  as 
an  ordinance  to  me.7 

"  I  mention  the  matter  just  as  it  occurred,  and  am 
persuaded  that  it  is  only  a  familiar  and  natural  speci 
men  of  what  often  takes  place  among  a  multitude  of 
Christians  who  never  saw  your  face ;  nor  do  I  by  any 
means  intend  it  as  a  compliment  to  a  genius  which 
has  entertained,  by  the  same  compositions,  the  great 
est  and  the  meanest  of  mankind ;  but  rather  to  remind 
you,  dear  sir,  how  much  you  owe  to  Him  who  has 
honored  you  as  the  instrument  of  such  extensive  ser 
vice. 

"  Had  Providence  cast  my  lot  near  you,  I  should 
gratefully  embrace  frequent  opportunities  of  improv 
ing  my  understanding  and  warming  my  heart  by  your 
conversation,  which  would  surely  be  greatly  to  my 
advantage  as  a  tutor,  a  minister,  and  a  Christian. 
As  it  is,  I  will  not  omit  any  opportunity  that  may  fall 
in  my  way;  and  while  I  regret  that  I  can  enjoy  no 
more  of  it  here,  I  will  comfort  myself  with  the 
thought  of  that  blessed  state,  when  I  hope  to  dwell 
with  you  for  ever,  and  to  join  in  sweeter  and  sublimer 


142  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

songs  than  even  those  which  you  have  taught  the 
church  below.  It  is  my  desire  and  expectation  that 
these  and  your  other  writings  may  be  transmitted  to 
the  remotest  generations,  and  that  thousands  yet  un 
born  may  have  eternal  reason  to  be  thankful  for 
them." 

The  paternal  character  which  was  acquired  October 
7,  1731,  at  the  birth  of  his  first  child,  soon  developed 
itself  very  agreeably  in  letters  to  some  of  his  friends, 
among  which  was  the  following. 

To  Uncle  Ebenezer  Hawkins. 

"  October  9,  1731. 

"  It  is  a  strange  thing  to  me  to  find  myself  so  fond 
of  a  little  being  who  can  do  nothing  but  sleep  and 
cry,  and  when  it  would  be  remarkably  witty  and 
entertaining,  open  its  eyes  and  stare.  What  I  shall 
do  when  it  can  run  about  and  prattle,  I  know  not; 
but  in  short,  I  begin  to  suspect  that  I  shall  prove  no 
wiser  than  some  certain  nameless  persons  whom  I 
have  secretly  been  ready  to  laugh  at  upon  that  head. 

"I  am  a  little  angry  that  Upton  does  not  lie 
within  the  neighborhood  of  Northampton ;  but  I  beg 
you  would  in  part  alleviate  that  misfortune  by  fre 
quent  visits  and  letters." 

To  Mrs.  Doddridge. 

"LONDON,  July  23,  1735. 
"  MY   DEAREST   AND   BEST   EARTHLY   JOY — I   always 

rejoice  to  see  a  letter  from  you;  but  that  which  I 
received  this  afternoon  has  thrown  me  into  a  sad  fit 
of  the  vapors.  I  am  inexpressibly  concerned  to  hear 
you  have  been  so  much  indisposed ;  and  as  I  have  a 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  143 

thousand  fears  on  account  of  your  present  circum 
stances,  so  I  am  grieved  to  think  that  at  best  I  am 
likely  to  undergo  the  sad  discipline  of  living  a  month 
without  your  company  below  stairs ;  and  no  place  is 
more  a  wilderness  to  me  than  my  own  house  when 
you  are  absent. 

"  All  my  wisest  and  best  friends  approve  my  de 
clining  Salter's  Hall.  It  would  indeed  have  ruined 
my  academy  to  accept  it.  Mr.  Jennings  prefers  me 
to  print  the  sermon  about  the  'One  Thing  Needftil/ 
which  Sir  Henry  Hough  ton  desired  to  have;  but  I 
have  not  yet  found  time  to  transcribe  a  line  of  it,  for 
I  can  write  nothing  but  letters  to  you. 

"I  called  just  now  to  see  Mr.  Calamy,  who  is 
finely  recovered.  There  I  saw  Savage,  the  celebrated 
poet,  who  has  lately  been  writing  the  Progress  of  a 
Divine,  in  imitation  of  Hogarth's  Progress  of  a  Rake: 
it  is  a  desperate  satire  on  the  clergy." 

The  domestic  and  social  character  of  Dr.  Doddridge 
will  further  appear  in  the  reflections  we  find  recorded 
in  his  diary  upon  the  death  of  his  eldest  child. 

"  SUNDAY,  Oct.  3,  1736.  On  the  1st  of  October 
God  was  pleased  by  a  most  awful  stroke  to  take  away 
my  eldest,  dearest  child,  my  lovely  Betsey.  She  was 
formed  to  strike  my  affection  in  the  most  powerful 
manner:  such  a  person,  genius,  and  temper,  as  I  ad 
mired  even  beyond  their  real  importance,  so  that 
indeed  I  doated  upon  her,  and  was  for  many  months 
before  her  death  in  a  great  degree  of  bondage  on  her 
account.  She  was  taken  ill  at  Newport  about  the 
middle  of  June,  and  thence  to  the  day  of  her  death 


144  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

she  was  my  continual  thought  and  almost  uninter 
rupted  care.  God  only  knows  with  what  earnestness 
and  importunity  I  prostrated  myself  before  him  to 
beg  her  life,  which  I  would  have  been  willing  almost 
to  have  purchased  with  my  own.  When  reduced  to 
the  lowest  degree  of  languishment  by  consumption,  I 
could  not  forbear  looking  in  upon  her  almost  every 
hour.  I  saw  her  with  the  strongest  mixture  of  an 
guish  and  delight.  No  chemist  ever  watched  his  cru 
cible  with  greater  care,  when  he  expected  the  produc 
tion  of  the  philosopher's  stone,  than  I  watched  her  in 
all  the  various  turns  of  her  disease,  which  at  last  grew 
utterly  hopeless,  and  then  no  language  can  express  the 
agony  into  which  it  threw  me. 

"  One  remarkable  circumstance  I  cannot  but  recol 
lect:  in  praying  most  affectionately,  perhaps  too  ear 
nestly  for  her  life,  these  words  came  into  my  mind 
with  great  power,  *  Speak  no  more  to  me  of  this  matter. / 
I  was  unwilling  to  take  them,  and  went  into  the  cham 
ber  to  see  my  dear  lamb,  when  instead  of  receiving 
me  with  her  usual  tenderness,  she  looked  upon  me 
with  a  stern  air,  and  said  with  a  very  remarkable 
determination  of  voice,  'I  have  no  more  to  say  to 
you;'  and  I  think  from  that  time,  though  she  lived 
at  least  ten  days,  she  seldom  looked  upon  me  with 
pleasure,  or  cared  to  suffer  me  to  come  near  her.  But 
that  I  might  feel  all  the  bitterness  of  the  affliction, 
Providence  so  ordered  it  that  I  came  in  when  her 
sharpest  agonies  were  upon  her,  and  those  words, '  Oh 
dear,  Oh  dear,  what  shall  I  do  ?'  rung  in  my  ears  for 
succeeding  hours  and  days.  But  God  delivered  her, 
and  she  without  any  violent  pang  in  the  article  of  her 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  145 

dissolution,  quietly  and  sweetly  fell  asleep,  as  I  hope, 
in  Jesus,  about  ten  at  night,  I  being  then  at  Maidwell. 
When  I  came  home  my  mind  was  under  a  dark  cloud 
relating  to  her  eternal  state;  but  God  was  pleased 
graciously  to  remove  it,  and  gave  me  comfortable 
hope,  after  having  felt  the  most  heart-rending  sorrow. 
My  dear  wife  bore  the  affliction  in  the  most  wonderful 
manner,  and  discovered  more  wisdom  and  piety  and 
steadiness  of  temper  in  a  few  days  than  I  had  ever  in 
six  years  an  opportunity  of  observing  before.  Oh  my 
soul,  God  has  blasted  thy  gourd ;  thy  greatest  earthly 
delight  is  gone :  seek  it  in  heaven,  where  I  hope  this 
dear  babe  is — where  I  am  sure  my  Saviour  is,  and 
where  I  trust,  through  grace,  notwithstanding  all  this 
irregularity  of  temper  and  of  heart  I  shall  shortly  be. 

"I  had  preached  in  the  bitterness  of  my  heart 
from  these  words,  '  Is  it  well  with  thy  husband  ?  Is 
it  well  with  the  child  ?  and  she  said,  It  is  well.'  I 
endeavored  to  show  the  reason  there  was  to  say  this ; 
but  surely  there  was  never  any  dispensation  of  Provi 
dence  in  which  I  found  it  so  hard,  for  my  very  soul 
had  been  overwhelmed  within  me ;  but  it  pleased  God 
that  in  composing  the  sermon  my  mind  became  quiet 
ed,  and  I  was  brought  into  a  more  silent  and  cordial 
submission  to  the  divine  will. 

"  At  the  Lord's  table  I  discoursed  on  these  words, 
'Although  my  house  be  not  so  with  God/  etc.  I  ob 
served  domestic  calamities  may  befall  good  men  in 
their  journey  through  life,  and  particularly  in  relation 
to  their  children,  but  that  they  have  a  refuge  in  God's 
covenant :  it  is  everlasting,  it  is  sure,  it  is  well-order 
ed  ;  every  provision  is  made  according  to  our  necessi- 

7 


146  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

ties,  and  it  shall  be  all  our  salvation,  as  it  is  the  object 
of  otir  most  affectionate  regard. 

"  I  here  solemnly  recollected  that  I  had  in  a  for 
mer  sacrament  taken  the  cup  with  these  words,  '  Lord, 
I  take  this  cup  as  a  public  and  solemn  token  that  I 
will  refuse  no  other  cup  which  thou  shalt  put  into  my 
hand.'  I  mentioned  this  recollection,  and  charged  it 
-  publicly  on  myself  and  my  Christian  friends.  God 
has  taken  me  at  my  word,  but  I  do  not  retract  it;  I 
repeat  it  again  with  regard  to  every  future  cup. 

"  I  am  just  come  from  the  coffin  of  my  dear  child, 
who  seems  to  be  sweetly  asleep  there,  with  a  serene, 
composed,  delightful  countenance,  once  how  animated 
with  double  life.  There,  lo,  Oh  my  soul,  lo,  there  is 
thine  idol  laid  still  in  death :  the  creature  which  stood 
next  to  God  in  thy  heart.  Methinks  I  would  learn 
to  be  dead  with  her — dead  to  the  world.  Oh  that  I 
could  be  dead  with  her  !  not  any  further  than  that  her 
dear  memory  may  promote  my  living  to  God. 

"  I  had  a  great  deal  of  edifying  conversation  last 
night  and  this  morning  with  my  wife,  whose  wisdom 
does  indeed  make  her  face  to  shine  under  this  afflic 
tion.  She  is  supported  and  animated  with  a  courage 
which  seems  not  at  all  natural  to  her ;  talks  with  the 
utmost  freedom,  and  has  really  said  many  of  the 
most  useful  things  that  ever  were  said  to  me  by  any 
person  upon  the  earth,  both  as  to  consolation  and 
admonition.  This  is  to  me  very  surprising  when  I 
consider  her  usual  reserve.  I  have  all  imaginable 
reason  to  believe  that  God  will  make  this  affliction  a 
great  blessing  to  her,  and  I  hope  it  may  prove  so  to 
me.  There  was  a  fond  complacence  and  delight 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  147 

which  I  took  in  Betsey  beyond  any  thing  living. 
Although  she  had  not  a  tenth  part  of  that  rational, 
manly  love  which  I  pay  to  her  mamma  and  many  sur 
viving  friends,  yet  it  leaves  a  peculiar  pain  upon  my 
heart,  and  it  is  almost  as  if  my  very  gall  were  poured 
out  upon  the  earth.  Yet  much  sweetness  mingles 
itself  with  this  bitter  potion,  chiefly  in  the  views  and 
hope  of  my  speedy  removal  to  the  eternal  world. 
May  not  this  be  the  beauty  of  Providence :  instead  of 
her  living  many  years  upon  the  earth,  may  not  God 
have  taken  away  my  child  that  I  might  be  fitted  for 
and  reconciled  to  my  own  dissolution,  perhaps  nearly 
approaching  ?  I  verily  believe  I  shall  meet  her  there, 
and  enjoy  much  more  of  her  in  heaven  than  I  should 
have  done  had  she  survived  me  on  earth.  Lord,  thy 
will  be  done :  may  my  life  be  used  for  thy  service 
while  continued,  and  then  put  thou  a  period  to  it 
whenever  thou  pleasest." 

REFLECTIONS  AFTER  THE  FUNERAL  OF  HIS  CHILD. 

"  OCT.  4,  1736.  I  have  now  been  laying  the  de 
light  of  my  eyes  in  the  dust,  and  it  is  for  ever  hidden 
from  them.  My  heart  was  too  full  to  weep.  We  had 
a  suitable  sermon  by  Mr.  Hunt,  from' the  words,  'Doest 
thou  well  to  be  angry  because  of  the  gourd  ?7  I  hope 
God  knows  that  I  am  not  angry,  but  sorrowful  he  sure 
ly  allows  me  to  be.  I  bless  God  I  have  my  hopes  that 
my  child  is  lodged  in  the  arms  of  Christ.  Blessed 
God,  hast  thou  not  received  her  ?  I  trust  that  thou 
hast,  and  pardoned  the  infirmities  of  her  poor,  short, 
childish,  afflicted  life.  I  hope,  in  some  measure  out 
of  love  to  me  as  thy  servant,  thou  hast  done  it  for 


148  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

Christ's  sake ;  and  I  would  consider  the  very  hope  as 
an  engagement  to  thy  future  service.  Lord,  I  love 
those  who  were  kind  to  my  child,  and  those  that 
wept  with  me  for  her;  shall  I  not  much  more  love 
thee,  who,  I  hope,  art  this  moment  taking  care  of  her, 
and  opening  her  infant  faculties  for  the  duties  and 
blessedness  of  heaven  ? 

"  Lord,  I  would  consider  myself  as  a  dying  crea 
ture.  My  first-born  is  gone ;  my  beloved  child  is  laid 
in  bed  before  me.  I  have  often  followed  her  to  bed 
in  a  literal  sense,  and  shortly  shall  follow  her  to 
that  where  we  shall  lie  down  together,  and  our  rest 
shall  be  together  in  the  dust.  In  a  literal  sense  the 
grave  is  ready  for  me.  My  grave  is  made.  I  have 
looked  into  it ;  a  dear  part  of  myself  is  already  there ; 
and  when  I  stood  at  the  Lord's  table  I  stood  directly 
over  it.  It  is  some  pleasure  to  me  to  think  that  my 
dust  will  be  lodged  near  that  of  my  dear  lamb  ;  how 
much  more  to  hope  that  my  soul  will  rest  with  hers, 
and  rejoice  in  her  for  ever.  But  Oh,  let  me  not  centre 
my  thoughts  even  here ;  it  is  a  rest  with  and  in  God, 
that  is  my  ultimate  hope.  Lord,  may  thy  grace  secure 
it  to  me,  and  in  the  mean  time  give  me  some  holy 
acquiescence  of  soul  in  thee;  and  though  my  gourd 
be  withered,  yet  shelter  me  under  the  shadow  of  thy 
wings." 

Before  we  pass  from  this  mournful  topic,  we  may 
remark  that  it  was  said  the  bereaved  father  wrote  his 
funeral-sermon  for  this  beloved  daughter  with  his 
paper  resting  on  her  coffin;  and  that  it  was  of  this 
"  lovely  Betsey  "  the  touching  tale  was  told,  that,  when 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  149 

she  had  one  day  numbered  up  a  long  catalogue  of 
friends,  and  she  was  asked  why  almost  every  one  loved 
her,  her  reply,  with  all  the  vivacity  of  childhood,  was, 
"  Every  one  loves  Tetsy,  because  Tetsy  loves  every 
body." 

As  illustrative  of  the  character  of  the  times,  and 
as  introducing  to  us  one  of  the  most  lovely  of  Dod- 
dridge's  students,  we  may  transcribe  from  his  corre 
spondence  a  brief  narrative.  Speaking  of  Brixworth, 
a  village  in  the  neighborhood  of  Northampton,  he  says, 
"  A  poor  but  honest  man  in  that  place  had  procured 
Mr.  Darracott,  one  of  my  pupils,  to  come  over  and 
repeat  a  sermon,  [the  recitation  of  a  sermon  written  by 
another.]  Before  the  congregation  was  come  together, 
some  of  ;  the  baser  sort/  instigated  by  the  steward  of 
a  lady  of  note  in  the  town,  attempted  to  disturb  them 
by  throwing  stones  through  the  glass  window,  and 
huzzaing  at  the  door;  and  the  master  of  the  house 
going  out  to  quiet  them,  was  assaulted,  had  a  gun 
presented  to  his  breast,  and  was  driven  in  for  shelter. 
Afterwards,  however,  he  and  Mr.  Darracott  ventured 
to  go  to  the  constables,  who  were  then  at  the  George 
Inn  at  a  Court-leet;  there  they  asked  for  help,  but 
in  vain;  they  were  forcibly  driven  out  of  the  house, 
and  pelted  with  dirt,  stones,  and  sticks  in  their  return, 
as  they  had  been  as  they  went.  Afterwards  Mr.  Dar 
racott  being  conveyed  away  from  a  house  where  he 
had  taken  shelter,  they  demanded  him,  as  they  said, 
that  they  might  be  the  death  of  him ;  they  seized  Beck, 
almost  smothered  him  in  the  mud,  as  they  drew  him 
through  a  horsepond,  and  at  last  tore  his  coat  from 


150  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

his  back.  He  then  escaped  into  the  house,  and  was 
in  two  hours  after  guarded  home  by  the  constables. 

"  The  parties  came  over  to  me  the  next  day,  and 
our  justices  granted  a  warrant,  by  virtue  of  which 
four  of  the  chief  offenders  were  carried  before  Mr. 

W ,  a  tory  justice  in  the  neighborhood,  who  is 

the  fittest  man  I  know  in  the  world  to  act  the  part  of 
Jeffries  a  second  time,  if  a  proper  occasion  offered. 
He  treated  Beck  as  if  he  had  been  a  felon,  laid  all 
the  blame  upon  him,  declared  it  was  impudence  to 
call  these  things  an  assault,  and  forced  him  by  threats 
of  imprisonment  to  subscribe  to  a  very  defective  infor 
mation,  against  many  articles  of  which  he  protested, 
and  at  last  allowed  him  two  shillings  damages  to 
mend  his  windows,  and  two  for  the  warrant." 

To  the  fidelity  and  success  of  Mr.  Darracott,  who 
at  this  time  had  only  arrived  at  the  age  of  twenty 
years,  we  give  the  following  testimony  from  the 
graphic  pen  of  Dr.  James  Hamilton. 

"  When  his  college  course  was  ended,  and  in  all 
the  freshness  of  youth,  he  was  invited  to  become  the 
minister  of  the  Presbyterian  congregation  at  Wel 
lington,  in  Somersetshire.  This  little  town  was  just 
the  sort  of  place  where  ordinary  zeal  would  have 
dwindled  down  to  decency,  and  where  caged  ambi 
tion  would  have  fretted  at  the  smallness  of  its  sphere. 
But  Darracott's  was  more  than  common  zeal ;  and  so 
long  as  there  were  thousands  of  unconverted  men 
in  Wellington,  there  were  abundant  objects  for  his 
ambition.  Accordingly,  commencing  with  a  com 
munion-roll  of  twenty-eight,  he  began  to  preach  with 
as  much  warmth  and  energy  as  if  the  entire  town 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  151 

were  resorting  to  his  ministry.  With  moderate 
scholarship,  and  with  nothing  brilliant  in  his  thoughts, 
his  eager  aspect  and  glowing  countenance  gave  to 
truths  ofttold  a  freshness  equal  to  originality,  and 
even  to  the  coarsest  minds  there  was  something  irre 
sistibly  captivating  in  the  suavity  of  his  spirit,  and 
the  refinement  of  the  Christian  gentleman ;  and  as  the 
gospel  which  he  preached  had  a  constant  exponent  in 
an  eye  ever  beaming,  and  in  a  frame  ever  bounding 
with  active  benevolence,  it  is  not  wonderful  that  '  the 
common  people  heard  him  gladly.7  When  he  per 
ceived  any  one  unusually  attentive  or  solemnized,  it 
was  his  plan  to  write  a  letter,  or  pay  an  early  visit, 
in  order  to  urge  the  impression  home;  and  he  was 
unwearied  in  his  efforts  to  bring  amiable  or  awaken 
ed  hearers  to  the  grand  decision  which  divides  the 
church  from  the  world,  and  formality  from  faith. 
His  paramount  zeal  for  his  Master  was  nobly  display 
ed  in  his  anxiety  to  bring  to  Wellington  preachers 
more  powerful  than  himself,  and  a  visit  which  he 
secured  from  Whitefield  was  the  means  of  a  memor 
able  and  salutary  excitement  in  that  little  town.  It 
was  chiefly  among  the  poor  and  illiterate  that  Mr. 
Darracott's  ministry  prospered ;  but  among  poachers 
and  vagrants,  foreign  mountebanks  and  clodpolls, 
who  could  not  read  the  alphabet,  as  well  as  among 
farmers  and  tradesmen,  he  saw  many  triumphs  of  the 
all-transforming  gospel.  Among  his  forays  in  the 
surrounding  villages,  one  hamlet  is  specified  as  a 
singular  trophy  of  his  fervent  ministry.  So  addicted 
to  drunkenness,  rioting,  and  fighting  was  Rogue's 
Green,  that  it  had  become  the  Nazareth  of  that  neigh- 


J52  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

borhood.  However,  into  this  den  of  depravity  Mr. 
Darracott  found  his  way,  and  the  result  of  his  labors 
was,  that  in  a  hamlet  where  there  had  not  been  a  sin 
gle  worshipper,  there  remained  scarcely  a  single  house 
in  which  the  evening  traveller  would  not  hear  the 
voice  of  prayer  and  praise.  And  when,  after  eigh 
teen  years  of  unflagging  toil,  this  good  man  died  his 
blessed  death,  instead  of  twenty-eight,  he  left  a  church 
of  three  hundred  members.  One  of  the  last  cordials 
vouchsafed  to  Doddridge  before  he  left  his  native 
land,  was  a  sight  of  this  beloved  pupil  in  the  very 
zenith  of  his  usefulness.  A  week  before  he  embarked 
for  Lisbon  he  spent  a  night  at  Wellington,  and  on  the 
morning  of  his  departure  told  his  young  friend  that 
his  joys  were  now  too  much  for  his  enfeebled  body  to 
sustain." 

The  language  of  Dr.  Hamilton  in  this  description 
of  Mr.  Darracott  is  strong,  but  not  more  so  than  was 
that  of  Doddridge  himself,  who  visited  him  in  1741, 
and  thus  wrote  to  Mrs.  Doddridge :  "  Mr.  Darracott  is 
in  all  respects  a  most  happy  man,  and  absolutely  the 
most  successful  minister  I  have  known  among  us  for 
many  years.  He  prayed  last  night  in  a  manner 
which  approached  as  nearly  to  inspiration  as  any 
thing  I  have  heard,  or  ever  expect  to  hear." 

To  Mrs.  Doddridge. 
"  KENSINGTON,  Mrs.  Seaman's,  Feb.  3,  1738. 

"  MY  "DEAR  CREATURE — I  walked  hither,  and  had 
the  great  satisfaction  to  find  the  good  Mrs.  Godwin, 
whose  life  was  almost  despaired  of,  most  charmingly 
recovered.  We  took  a  walk  together  of  at  least  a 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  153 

mile,  and  saw,  I  need  not  tell  you  with  what  emotion, 
a  house  in  which  the  blessed  Queen  Mary,  consort  of 
William  III,  and  good  Mr.  Addison  lived.  It  is  one 
of  the  most  romantic  and  antique  I  anywhere  remem 
ber.  Coming  back  too  late  to  go  home  safely  to 
night,  I  accepted  the  kind  proposal  of  my  friends  to 
lodge  here,  and  take  this  time  from  their  conversation, 
agreeable  as  it  is,  to  converse  with  the  best  of  my 
human  friends.  Oh,  my  dear,  how  eagerly  do  I  wish 
it  were  not  in  this  distant,  this  laborious,  this  imper 
fect  manner,  but  as  the  Hebrews  most  emphatically 
say,  'mouth  to  mouth.' 

"  I  have  just  before  me  a  fine  picture  of  Lucretia 
dying  with  a  dagger  in  her  breast;  in  the  next  room 
there  is  one  of  Susannah  and  the  two  elders ;  but  I  do 
not  now  like  to  see  such  things,  for  every  beautiful 
object  reminds  me  of  you.  I  will  not  say  you  have 
all  the  charms  of  Eve,  and  all  the  virtues  of  her  love 
ly  daughters  united  in  yourself;  but  I  can  truly  say, 
you  have  enough  for  me,  and  too  much  to  leave  me 
any  possibility  of  forgetting  you  for  one  waking  hour, 
or  of  enjoying  any  thing  with  full  satisfaction  till  I 
can  return  to  you." 

To  the  Same. 

"  CAMBRIDGE,  June  18,  1741. 

"  As  agreeable  as  I  find  this  seat  of  the  Muses,  I 
must  needs  forget  every  other  amusement  for  a  little 
while,  that  I  may  indulge  myself  in  the  pleasure  of 
conversing  with  you,  and  may  continue  the  history  of 
my  travels.  My  last  was  dated  on  Monday,  from  St. 
Ives,  from  whence  on  Tuesday  morning  we  went  over 
to  Abbot's  Ripton,  where  good  Mr.  Jones  received 

7* 


154  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

us  with  his  usual  good-humor  and  friendship.  Mrs. 
Bonfoy  immediately  sent  for  me  and  all  my  friends, 
and  we  really  spent  the  day  delightfully,  in  the  midst 
of  all  the  pleasure  which  a  very  agreeable  house, 
handsome  entertainment,  lively  yet  serious  conversa 
tion,  and  the  most  frank  and  generous  respect  and 
friendship  could  afford  us ;  I  indeed  quitted  the  fami 
ly  in  the  evening  with  great  regret. 

"  As  for  the  town  where  I  now  am,  it  is  in  itself  a 
very  sorry  kind  of  place,  if  you  except  the  colleges  and 
the  public  buildings  belonging  to  them.  King's  col 
lege  and  Trinity  are  both  charming,  and  I  think  beyond 
any  thing  in  Oxford.  I  have  seen  several  great  curi 
osities  in  the  libraries,  to  which  I  found  a  ready  access 
through  the  complaisance  of  the  students  and  fellows, 
and  sometimes  by  Mr.  Jones'  means.  I  waited  yes 
terday  on  Dr.  Middleton,  who  showed  me  the  fine 
University  library,  and  some  of  the  most  curious 
manuscripts  in  the  world.  I  was  most  courteously 
entertained  by  Dr.  Newcomb,  master  of  St.  John's; 
and  though  I  have,  to  my  great  grief,  been  so  unfor 
tunate  as  to  miss  of  Mr.  Warburton,  I  have  met  with 
Mr.  Caryl,  a  particular  friend  of  his,  a  fellow  of 
Jesus  college,  and  a  very  worthy  gentleman;  he 
supped  with  me  last  night,  and  invited  me  and  all  my 
company  to  dine  with  him  to-day.  Mr.  Henchett  was 
so  complaisant  as  to  attend  me  hither,  or  rather  in 
deed  having  met  me  at  St.  Ives,  came  hither  before 
me,  and  we  were  yesterday  his  guests.  I  assure  you 
every  thing  here  is  exceedingly  good  in  its  kind,  and 
I  met  with  very  few  places  in  our  long  journey  where 
the  accommodation  was  any  thing  comparable  to  what 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  155 

I  meet  with  at  this  good  house,  which  though  it  be  the 
Cardinal's  Hat,  will  always  be  sure  of  my  good  word. 
I  hope  this  will  not  be  thought  further  argument  of 
my  being  turned  papist,  though  I  really  think  it  one 
of  the  best  that  can  be  produced.*  And  now,  my 
dear,  I  beg  you  would  accept  of  the  united  compli 
ments  of  the  chancellor  and  vice-chancellor  of  this 
ancient  and  celebrated  university,  as  also  of  those  of 
many  of  the  heads  and  fellows  of  the  respective  col 
leges." 

To  the  Same. 

"  BURY,  June  20,1741. 

"  I  cannot  in  reason  expect  many  days  of  my  life 
in  which  I  am  absent  from  you  to  be  so  entertaining 
to  me  as  last  Thursday  was,  for  I  spent  all  the  morn 
ing  with  a  very  learned  and  ingenious  friend  of  Mr. 
Warburton's,  who  is  a  fellow  of  Jesus  college,  and 
who  invited  rne  and  Mr.  Jennings,  Mr.  Parminter, 
and  Mr.  Notcutt,  the  dissenting  minister  there,  to  dine 
with  him ;  to  which  he  added  a  most  pressing  invita 
tion  to  me  to  come  and  spend  a  fortnight  or  more  as 
I  pleased  with  him  in  the  college.  He  carried  me  to 
several  other  colleges,  where  I  was  very  respectfully 
received,  and  then  drank  tea  with  Dr.  Middleton  at  his 
house.  He  showed  me  several  very  fine  curiosities, 
and  I,  on  the  other  hand,  had  the  pleasure  of  inform 
ing  him  of  several  very  curious  and  valuable  manu 
scripts  in  the  library  of  which  he  has  charge,  of  which 
neither  the  doctor  himself,  nor  any  of  the  gentlemen 

*  A  preposterous  report  that  the  doctor  was  a  Jesuit  in 
disguise  was  raised  in  consequence  of  the  Christian  charity 
which  he  had  shown  in  the  case  of  poor  Connell. 


156  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

of  the  university  had  even  so  much  as  heard,  though 
they  are  the  oldest  monuments  relating  to  the  churches 
of  Italy  which  continued  uncorrupted  in  the  great 
darkness  of  Popery,  between  six  and  seven  hundred 
years  ago ;  and  it  is  most  astonishing  to  me  that  the 
university  should  know  nothing  of  them:  perhaps  it 
might  be  because  Cromwell  lodged  them  there ;  and 
indeed,  their  libraries  want  some  of  the  best  books 
which  have  of  late  appeared  among  us,  being  written 
by  dissenters,  nor  did  my  learned  friends  there  so 
much  as  know  that  such  books  were  ever  published. 

"  A  young  poet  of  great  character  in  the  Univer 
sity  supped  with  me,  and  it  was  not  till  eleven  yester 
day  morning  that  I  could  get  to  Cambridge.  The 
rain  caught  us,  so  that  we  were  forced  to  lie  by  sev 
eral  hours,  but  we  got  well  to  Bury  last  night  about 
seven  o'clock,  and  have  here  met  with  a  very  kind 
reception.  Mr.  Steward's  company  is  very  entertain 
ing  and  improving  and  good.  Mr.  Webb  is  a  gener 
ous,  pious,  and  obliging  friend,  with  whom  I  could  be 
glad  to  spend  a  great  deal  more  time  than  I  must 
allow  myself  here." 

From  the  Rev.  W.  Warburton,  D.  D. 

"LONDON,  June  25,  1741. 

"  When  your  last  kind  letters  with  the  discourse 
came  to  London,  I  was  on  a  ramble  with  Mr.  Pope  up 
and  down,  and  among  other  places,  at  Oxford ;  from 
whence  I  am  but  just  returned.  I  have  read  over 
your  fine  abstract  with  great  pleasure.  It  is  too  good 
for  the  journal.  I  shall  reserve  it  for  use  when  I 
recapitulate  my  long  general  argument  at  the  end  of 
the  third  volume,  where  it  will  be  of  use  to  me. 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  157 

"My  worthy  friend  Mr.  Caryl,  master  of  Jesus 
college,  tells  me  you  have  been  at  Cambridge ;  and 
is  so  won  with  his  new  acquaintance  that  he  expresses 
himself  to  me  in  these  words,  which  for  once  I  will 
not  scruple  to  transcribe  from  his  letter : 

" '  Dr.  Doddridge  spent  a  couple  of  days  here  last 
week.  I  showed  him  all  the  civility  I  could ;  at  first 
indeed  merely  as  a  friend  of  yours,  but  it  soon  became 
the  result  of  my  own  inclinations.  He  favored  me 
with  much  curious  conversation,  and  if  I  judge  right, 
is  a  man  of  great  parts  and  learning,  and  of  a  candid 
and  communicative  temper.  I  now  reckon  him  among 
my  acquaintance,  and  thank  you  for  him.' 

"You  see  what  a  liberty  I  have  taken  with  my 
friend's  letter ;  but  the  pleasure  I  had  in  receiving  it 
made  me  think  his  words  as  well  as  his  sentiments  my 
property." 

To  Mrs.  Doddridge. 

"  YARMOUTH,  July  2,  1741. 

"  At  length,  my  dearest,  though  not  without  some 
difficulty,  I  am  broken  away  from  Norwich.  I  felt 
that  separation  the  less  as  I  brought  away  with  me 
Mr.  Scott  and  his  most  agreeable  daughter.  We 
spent  Tuesday  at  Denton,  and  it  was  one  of  the  most 
delightful  days  of  my  whole  life.  Seventeen  minis 
ters  were  there,  of  which  eight  officiated  indeed  ex 
ceedingly  well.  We  held  a  kind  of  council  after 
wards  concerning  the  methods  to  be  taken  for  the 
revival  of  religion,  and  I  hope  I  have  set  them  on 
work  to  some  purpose ;  on  the  whole  I  had  such  com 
munion  with  God,  in  all  the  duties  of  the  day,  and 
saw  all  things  so  well  conducted  in  it,  that  I  should 


158  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

have  thought  all  the  labors  of  the  journey  well  repaid 
by  it.  The  respect  and  tenderness  with  which  I  was 
treated  by  all  the  ministers  confounded  me  in  some 
measure,  as  well  as  delighted  me." 

To  the  Same. 

"  TIVERTON,  June  25, 1742. 

"  On  Saturday  I  arrived  at  Exeter,  where  I  found 
a  whole  synod  of  ministers  ready  to  receive  me ;  and 
such  a  feast  prepared  as  put  me  out  of  countenance, 
which  is,  alas,  my  daily  exercise.  Mr.  Tozer  is  a 
charming  man,  and  I  never  saw  so  many  fine  women 
of  any  one  family.  They  all  treat  me  with  the  kind 
ness  of  sisters,  and  multiply  their  favors  upon  me 
beyond  all  I  can  easily  express.  Entertainments 
have  been  daily  provided  for  me  by  the  principal 
families,  and  I  have  seen  that  noble  palace  which  once 
belonged  to  my  family.  [This  was  the  favorite  resi 
dence  of  Sir  John  DoddridgeJ  My  arms  are  there 
curiously  carved  over  the  great  mantle-piece  in  the 
dining-room,  which  is  quite  a  room  of  state;  and  in 
several  other  places,  particularly  in  a  great  upper 
room  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  long,  which  is 
surrounded  with  the  arms  of  all  the  nobility  and  gen 
try  in  these  parts.  I  assure  you,  my  dear,  I  saw  this 
without  any  regret ;  and  I  hope  I  have  a  much  nobler 
mansion  reserved  for  me  in  my  Father's  house  above ; 
and  in  the  meantime  am  incomparably  happier  with 
you  in  my  present  circumstances,  than  such  a  seat  and 
all  the  estate  once  belonging  to  Mount  Radford  could 
make  me  without  you,  or  without  my  dear  charge  at 
Northampton.77 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  159 

To  the  Same. 

"  NOKTHAMPTON,  Oct.  13,  1742. 

"  I  cannot  express  the  concern  with  which  I  hear 
by  good  Mr.  Osten  that  you  are  worse ;  that  you  are 
obliged  to  leave  off  the  Bath  waters,  to  consult  Dr. 
Oliver,  etc.  It  would  really  wound  me  to  the  heart 
if  my  expectations  should  be  disappointed,  and  you 
were  to  come  back  worse  than  you  went. 

"  I  dare  not  even  think  of  the  consequences ;  our 
meeting  would  be  so  distressful,  that  so  far  as  per 
sonal  satisfaction  was  concerned,  I  should  be  glad  to 
hide  myself  in  the  grave  from  the  bitterness  and 
agony  of  such  an  interview.  Indeed,  my  dear,  I  love 
you  too  well ;  and  though  I  sometimes  admire  myself 
wonderfully  for  being  able  to  sleep,  and  study,  and 
go  cheerfully  through  my  business,  though  you  be  not 
here,  yet  when  such  a  shocking  idea  as  this  arises  I 
find  my  heart  is  a  great  hypocrite,  and  that  much  of 
its  tranquillity  was  owing  to  the  sweet  hope  that  you 
were  all  this  while  growing  better,  and  that  it  was 
indeed  little  more  than  the  generosity  of  the  miser 
who  can  part  with  his  money  for  a  while,  and  be 
pretty  easy  though  it  is  out  of  sight,  when  he  expects 
to  receive  it  quickly  with  larger  interest." 

To  the  Same. 

"  NORTHAMPTON,  Oct.  31,  1742. 

"  I  question  not,  my  dear,  that  you  and  Miss  Rap- 
pit  are  both  wishing  yourselves  with  us,  and  we  should 
greatly  rejoice  in  your  being  so ;  and  yet  I  hope  it 
will  be  some  comfort  to  you  to  think  that  we  shall 
remember  you  at  the  Lord's  table,  and  recommend 


160  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

you  to  the  divine  support  during  your  absence.  And 
I  hope,  my  dear,  you  will  not  be  offended  when  I  tell 
you  that  I  am — what  I  hardly  thought  it  possible, 
without  a  miracle,  that  I  should  have  been — very  easy 
and  happy  without  you.  My  days  begin,  pass,  and 
end  in  pleasure,  and  seem  short  because  they  are  so 
delightful. 

"  It  may  seem  strange  to  say  it,  but  really  so  it  is, 
I  hardly  feel  that  I  want  any  thing.  I  often  think  of 
you,  and  pray  for  you,  and  bless  God  on  your  account, 
and  please  myself  with  the  hope  of  many  comfortable 
days  and  weeks  and  years  with  you ;  yet  I  am  not  at 
all  anxious  about  your  return,  or  indeed  about  any 
thing  else.  And  the  reason,  the  great  and  sufficient 
reason  is,  that  I  have  more  of  the  presence  of  God 
with  me  than  I  remember  ever  to  have  enjoyed  in  any 
one  month  of  my  life.  He  enables  me  to  live  for  him 
and  to  live  with  him. 

"  When  I  awake  in  the  morning,  which  is  always 
before  it  is  light,  I  address  myself  to  Him,  and  con 
verse  with  him,  speak  to  him  when  I  am  lighting  my 
candle  and  putting  on  my  clothes,  and  have  often 
more  delight  before  coming  out  of  my  chamber,  though 
it  be  hardly  a  quarter  of  an  hour  after  awaking,  than 
I  have  enjoyed  for  whole  days,  or  perhaps  weeks  of 
my  life.  He  meets  me  in  my  study,  in  secret,  and  in 
family  devotion.  It  is  pleasant  to  read,  pleasant  to 
compose,  pleasant  to  converse  with  my  friends  at  home, 
pleasant  to  visit  those  abroad — the  poor,  the  sick; 
pleasant  to  write  letters  of  necessary  business  by 
which  any  good  can  be  done ;  pleasant  to  go  out  and 
preach  the  gospel  to  poor  souls,  some  of  whom  are 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  161 

thirsting  for  it,  and  others  dying  without  it ;  pleasant 
in  the  week-day  to  think  how  near  another  Sabbath 
is;  but  Oh,  much  more  pleasant  to  think  how  near 
eternity  is,  and  how  short  the  journey  through  this 
wilderness,  and  that  it  is  but  a  step  from  earth  to 
heaven. 

"  I  cannot  forbear  in  these  circumstances  pausing  a 
little,  and  considering  whence  this  happy  scene  just 
at  this  time  arises,  and  whither  it  tends.  Whether 
God  is  about  to  bring  upon  me  any  peculiar  trial, 
for  which  this  is  to  prepare  me ;  whether  he  is  shortly 
about  to  remove  me  from  the  earth,  and  so  is  giving 
me  more  sensible  prelibations  of  heaven,  to  prepare 
me  for  it;  or  whether  he  intends  to  do  some  peculiar 
services  by  me  just  at  this  time,  which  many  other  cir 
cumstances  lead  me  sometimes  to  hope;  or  whether  it 
be,  that  in  answer  to  your  prayers,  and  in  compassion 
to  that  distress  which  I  must  otherwise  have  felt  in 
the  absence  and  illness  of  her  who  has  been  so  exceed 
ingly  dear  to  me.  and  was  never  more  sensibly  dear 
to  me  than  now,  he  is  pleased  to  favor  me  with  this 
experience ;  in  consequence  of  which  I  freely  own  I 
am  less  afraid  than  ever  of  any  event  that  can  possi 
bly  arise  consistent  with  his  nearness  to  my  heart  and 
the  tokens  of  his  paternal  and  covenant  love.  I  will 
muse  no  further  on  the  cause.  It  is  enough  the  effect 
is  so  blessed. 

"  Since  I  began  this  letter  I  have  attended  family 
prayer.  I  wish  I  could  communicate  to  you  and  dear 
Miss  Rappit  the  pleasure  I  found  in  reading  the 
Promises  in  Mr.  Clarke's  Collection,  pages  106,  107, 
and  singing  the  eighty-ninth  Psalm. 


162  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

"  But  the  post  calls,  and  I  must  therefore  conclude, 
wishing  you  all  the  happiness  I  feel,  and  more  if  your 
heart  could  contain  it." 

To  the  Same. 

"  NORTHAMPTON,  March  6,  1743. 

"  If  writing  your  last  charming  letter  did  not  hurt 
yourself  I  am  glad  you  sent  it,  for  it  came  most  sea 
sonably,  and  produced  a  very  agreeable  effect.  You 
knew,  my  dearest,  it  would  arrive  on  Lord's-day 
night :  it  was  on  sacrament-day ;  and  indeed  it  was 
a  most  comfortable  one  to  me:  my  joy  at  that  ordi 
nance  was  so  great  that  I  could  not  well  contain  it. 
I  had  much  ado  to  forbear  telling  to  all  about  me  as 
well  as  I  could,  for  it  would  have  been  but  in  a  very 
imperfect  manner,  what  a  divine  flame  I  felt  in  my 
soul,  which  indeed  put  me  greatly  in  mind  of  Mr. 
Howe's  'full  stream  of  rays.'  Were  it  possible  to 
carry  such  impressions  through  life,  it  would  give  the 
soul  a  kind  of  independence  far  too  high  for  a  mortal 
existence.  It  was  indeed,  in  the  most  literal  and 
proper  sense,  *  a  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory.7 
I  doubt  not  my  dearest  earthly  friend,  that  it  was  in 
a  considerable  measure  in  answer  to  your  prayers.  I 
had  promised  myself  that  we  should  then  have  been 
together,  but  God  was  pleased  to  give  me  so  much, 
that  he  left  no  room  to  complain  of  what  he  withheld. 
You  may  be  assured,  however,  that  I  could  not  fail  to 
remember  you  in  such  circumstances. 

"The  bell  rings  for  prayer,  so  I  must  conclude 
abruptly.  I  am  pleased  to  think  what  a  meeting 
good  Mrs.  Howe  has  had  with  that  glorious  spirit 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  163 

above  whose  memory  is  so  precious  to  us  both.*  Oh, 
what  are  dukes  or  princes  when  compared  with  such 
persons  ?  May  not  you  and  I,  my  dearest,  hope  for 
such  a  meeting  too  ?  How  much  beyond  that  which 
the  fondness  of  our  hearts  leads  us  to  expect  at 
Northampton." 

To  the  Same. 

"  BURY,  June  26,  1744. 

"As  I  have  this  morning,  the  anniversary  of  the 
day  which  brought  me  into  the  world,  been  reflecting 
seriously  on  the  mercies  of  our  gracious  God  which 
have  attended  me  here,  I  could  not  but  think  of  you 
among  the  chief  of  them ;  and  have  been  unfeignedly 
addressing  my  praises  to  him  for  giving  me,  in  so  near 
and  important  a  relation,  so  prudent  and  tender,  so 
faithful  and  pious  a  friend,  who  has  every  quality  that 
can  be  imagined  to  recommend  her  to  my  esteem.  I 
have  been  blessing  him  for  restoring  you  so  often 
from  languishing  and  dangerous  illness,  and  therein 
giving  me  a  new  life;  and  I  have  been  entreating 
him  to  continue  so  invaluable  a  blessing,  and  to  give 
me  wisdom  to  prize  it  as  I  ought. 

"  And  now,  my  dearest,  I  renew  my  thanks  to  you 
for  all  your  care  of  me  and  goodness  to  me,  which  I 
pray  God  abundantly  to  repay  you,  as  I  believe  and 
hope  he  will,  since  I  persuade  myself  that  religion  as 
well  as  friendship  has  its  part  in  the  many  good 
offices  you  are  continually  doing  me.  I  long,  as  you 

*  "  Mrs.  Howe,  widow  of  the  great  and  pious  John  Howe, 
died  here  last  week;  a  good  woman,  full  of  years,  being  near 
ninety :  and  last  night  died  the  poor  Duke  of  Hamilton."  From 
a  letter  of  Mrs.  Doddridge,  dated  Bath,  March  2,  1743. 


164  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

may  easily  believe,  to  see  you  again;  nor  does  my 
birthday,  amid  all  the  congratulations  and  kindnesses 
of  my  friends,  give  me  a  complete  pleasure  while  I  am 
separated  from  the  better  half  of  myself. 

"  Greet  my  friends  and  children,  but  accept  of  the 
best  greetings  yourself  from  him  who  is  entirely  and 
affectionately  yours." 

To  Miss  Doddridge,  at  Mrs.  Linton's,  Worcester. 

"  NORTHAMPTON,  May  7,  1748. 

"  MY  DEAR  CHILD — I  cannot  let  the  anniversary  of 
your  birthday  pass  without  one  line  of  most  affection 
ate  congratulation.  I  have  been  blessing  God  for  his 
goodness  to  you,  my  lovely  girl,  and  to  me  and  your 
mamma  in  you.  I  have  been  earnestly  recommend 
ing  you  to  the  divine  blessing,  and  praying  that  the 
years  of  your  life  may  be  multiplied  long  beyond  the 
boundaries  of  mine,  and  that  they  may  all  be  crowned 
with  loving-kindness  and  tender  mercy.  And  now, 
my  dear,  let  me  tell  you,  if  a  hasty  word  can  tell  you, 
how  much  I  love  you,  how  much  I  delight  in  you,  how 
earnestly  I  long  to  see  you,  how  much  pleasure  I  take 
even  in  every  expense  which  may  contribute  to  your 
improvement  and  satisfaction. 

"  Indeed,  I  believe  there  have  been  few  instances 
in  which  a  child  has  been  dearer  to  her  parents,  or 
has  deserved  to  be  dearer.  You  have,  from  your 
very  infancy,  been  all  duty  and  tenderness,  and  we 
ought  to  thank  God,  and  to  thank  you,  for  the  com 
fort  we  have  had  in  you.  Above  all,  does  it  delight 
us  to  think  there  is  room  to  hope  that  you  are  a  child 
of  God,  that  you  love  him  as  a  father,  and  have  sought 
and  found  that  salvation  in  Christ  which  is  more  than 


PASTORATE   AT  NORTHAMPTON.  165 

ten  thousand  worlds.  It  is  this,  my  dear  love,  that 
comforts  my  heart  in  the  midst  of  that  solicitude 
which  so  much  affection  as  it  feels  would  inspire, 
when  I  think  of  the  tenderness  of  your  constitution, 
and  of  the  possibility  there  is,  at  least,  that  you  may 
be  taken  away  from  us  in  early  life :  a  thought  which 
would  otherwise  distress  me  extremely;  but  I  have 
given  you  to  God :  I  hope  you  have  given  yourself  to 
him,  and  that  you  will  quickly  do  it  at  his  table. 
Think  of  it,  however,  and  pray  that  you  may  be  ad 
vancing  in  fitness  for  that  great  honor  and  privilege ; 
and  renew  the  dedication  of  yourself  to  God  every 
day,  and  labor  to  approve  every  action  and  every 
thought  to  him.  I  hope,  my  dear,  your  determinate 
and  established  piety  will  be  a  blessing  to  the  youn 
ger  children  of  the  family,  and  a  joy  to  us  to  the  latest 
day  of  our  lives. 

"  May  you  see  many  of  these  days,  and  may  they 
be  days  of  growing  comfort  and  usefulness:  forgive 
me,  if  I  say,  may  you  see  many  of  them  with  us  or 
near  us,  for  truly  I  long  to  have  you  near  us  again; 
and  have  found  your  absence  the  only  part  of  the 
price  of  your  education  which  I  have  thought  dear. 
I  rejoice  to  think  I  am  likely,  if  Providence  spare  our 
lives — yet  how  precarious  are  they — to  see  you,  and  my 
other  much-loved  children,  so  soon.  Yet,  to  a  papa 
that  loves  you  so  well,  even  these  few  weeks  will  seem 
long.  You  must  therefore,  on  receiving  this  letter, 
indulge  me  in  the  pleasure  of  a  line,  and  write  me 
your  heart,  and  I  will  not  stand  with  you  for  the  ele 
gance  of  the  hand.  Above  all,  pray  for  us  every  day. 
Your  sisters  and  your  brother  are  well:  he  grows  a 


166  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

fine  scholar,  and  will,  I  hope,  be  worthy  to  be  called 
the  brother  of  so  amiable  a  girl. 

"  I  wish  I  could  convey  any  little  present  on  the 
agreeable  occasion  of  my  writing  to-day ;  but  take 
our  love  and  our  blessing,  and  any  thing  else  will 
follow  as  we  have  opportunity.  Farewell,  my  dear 
child,  and  believe  that  I  shall  think  myself  happy  in 
any  occasion  of  showing  you  how  much  I  am  your 
affectionate  papa." 

Miss  Doddridge  subsequently  was  married  to  John 
Humphreys,  Esq.,  of  Tewksbury,  an  attorney  of  high 
rank  at  that  time,  and  having  extensive  practice. 
She  died  June  8,  1799,  at  the  age  of  sixty-six.  She 
is  represented  to  have  been  a  woman  of  affectionate 
tenderness,  ardent  piety,  enlarged  benevolence,  and 
Christian  liberality. 

Her  beautiful  character  is  said  to  be  faithfully  de 
lineated  in  the  following  lines  by  Mrs.  Barbauld,  on 
the  death  of  her  grandmother,  the  Mrs.  Jennings  who 
is  often  referred  to  in  the  earlier  portion  of  this  vol 
ume. 

"  'Tis  past:  dear  venerable  shade,  farewell ! 
Thy  blameless  life,  thy  peaceful  death  shall  tell, 
The  truest  praise  was  hers — a  cheerful  heart, 
Prone  to  enjoy  and  ready  to  impart. 
An  Israelite  indeed,  and  free  from  guile, 
She  showed  that  piety  and  age  could  smile. 
Religion  had  her  heart,  her  cares,  her  voice — 
'Twas  her  last  refuge,  as  her  earliest  choice. 
To  holy  Anna's  spirit  not  more  dear 
The  church  of  Israel  and  the  house  of  prayer: 
Matured  at  length  for  some  more  perfect  scene, 
Her  hopes  all  bright,  her  prospects  all  serene, 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  161 

Each  part  of  life  sustained  with  equal  worth, 
Arid  not  a  wish  left  unfulfilled  on  earth, 
Like  a  tried  traveller,  with  sleep  oppressed, 
Within  her  children's  arms  she  dropped  to  rest. 
Farewell !  thy  cherished  image,  ever  dear, 
Shall  many  a  heart  with  pious  love  revere." 

To  Miss  Doddridge. 

"  WALTHAMSTON,  July  31,  1749. 

"  MY  LOVELY  GIRL — Your  dear  mamma,  for  being 
related  to  whom  both  you  and  I  shall  have  reason  to 
bless  God  as  long  as  we  live,  will,  I  am  sure,  have  the 
goodness  to  excuse  me,  that  I  fail  writing  to  her  this 
post,  that  I  may  pay  my  respects  to  you  and  relieve 
her  from  the  trouble  of  answering  this,  which  will 
naturally  fall  to  your  share.  As  I  have  but  little 
time,  it  happens  very  well  that  I  have  not  much  to 
say,  more  than  to  assure  you  of  my  tenderest  love,  and 
great  joy  that  you  are,  through  the  divine  goodness, 
so  well  recovered.  Indeed,  you  are  so  dear  to  me, 
that  every  thing  which  looks  like  danger  to  you  afflicts 
me  sensibly  in  its  most  distant  approach. 

"  It  has  pleased  God  so  to  form  my  heart  that  I 
question  whether  any  man  living  feels  more  exquis 
itely  on  such  occasions.  The  life  of  either  of  my  chil 
dren,  and  of  such  a  child,  is  more  to  me  than  the 
treasures  of  a  kingdom ;  and  there  is  hardly  any  thing 
in  which  your  excellent  mamma  is  not  immediately 
concerned,  which  I  so  much  desire,  as  that  you  may 
all  live  to  bless  the  world  many  years  after  I  have 
left  it.  Now,  when  I  feel  this  tender  affection  so 
warm  in  my  heart,  it  is  a  great  pleasure  to  me,  as  it 
should  be  to  you,  to  reflect  that  'as  a  father  pitieth 
his  children,  so  the  Lord  pitieth  them  that  fear  him.' 


168  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

"  My  dear  child,  you  live  by  the  divine  compassion 
to  you  and  to  me,  indeed,  I  may  say,  to  both  your 
parents,  for  you  are  exceedingly  dear  to  us  both. 
Let  me  earnestly  entreat  you  to  bear  the  sense  of  it 
upon  your  heart,  and  to  consider  that  every  instance 
in  which  God  is  pleased  to  afflict  you,  or  to  remove 
the  stroke  of  his  hand,  calls  for  serious  recollection 
as  well  as  grateful  acknowledgment.  It  calls  for  a 
solemn  inquiry  into  the  reasons  of  the  divine  conduct: 
wherefore  it  is  that  God  contends  with  us,  and  what 
returns  he  expects  from  us  when  he  delivers  us  from 
going  down  to  the  grave. 

"  It  gives  me,  my  dear,  unutterable  joy  to  think 
that  you  have  deliberately  chosen  the  service  of  God, 
and  solemnly  given  yourself  up  to  Christ  at  his  table  ; 
that  you  have  there  taken  refuge  and  sanctuary  in 
his  blood,  and  entered  yourself  into  the  number  of 
those  who  profess  themselves  his  faithful  disciples.  I 
pray  God  you  may  be  ever  faithful.  I  would  not 
flatter  any  one,  especially  my  child ;  arid  I  hope  I  do 
not  flatter  myself  in  the  many  good  things  I  think  of 
you.  I  truly  think  that  you  have  many  excellent  dis 
positions  by  nature,  if  I  may  be  allowed  the  expres 
sion  :  great  humanity,  great  sweetness  of  temper,  and 
tenderness  of  conscience,  ready  compassion  for  the 
distressed,  a  remarkable  willingness  to  oblige  others, 
and  a  grateful  sense  of  obligations  to  them,  adorned 
with  native  modesty  and  humility,  which  really  add 
a  great  lustre  to  all.  These  are  lovely  qualities,  and 
I  bless  God  who  hath  given  you  so  much  of  them, 
and,  I  trust,  sanctified  them  all  by  his  grace. 

"  Your  next  question  will  naturally  be, '  And  what 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  169 

do  I  want  to  complete  my  character  ?;  Shall  I,  my 
dear,  tell  you  plainly  ?  I  think  it  is  resolution,  dili 
gence,  and  activity.  Indolence  and  a  disposition  to 
trifle  seem  to  me  your  great  snares.  You  will  there 
fore,  not  only  to  oblige  your  parents,  but  to  please 
God,  and  in  some  measure  to  repay  his  benefits, 
guard  against  them.  Remember,  my  love,  I  entreat 
you,  that  we  were  all  made  to  do  good ;  and  though 
that  gracious  Being  who  knows  our  frame  and  our 
circumstances,  requires  no  more  than  he  has  given  us 
a  capacity  to  perform,  yet  he  requires  that,  even  in 
the  most  private  station  of  life. 

"  You  will,  I  hope,  often  remember — what  indeed, 
my  dear,  you  sometimes  seem  to  forget,  more  than, 
from  your  natural  good  sense,  I  should  expect — that 
the  years  of  childhood  are  now  past,  and  that  you 
have  entered  upon  the  responsibility  of  rational  life ; 
and  you  will,  I  persuade  myself,  be  solicitous  that 
you  may  act  wisely,  of  which  you  have  daily  before 
you  a  most  amiable  and  edifying  example  in  your 
dear  mamma,  from  whom  all  who  are  about  her  may 
learn  every  thing  that  can,  in  private  life,  adorn  relig 
ion  and  make  those  around  us  happy.  Endeavor 
therefore,  like  her,  to  divide  your  time  in  a  proper 
proportion  between  devotion,  reading,  working,  and 
improving  conversation :  not  overburdening  your  del 
icate  frame,  for  that  would  grieve  me  much,  but 
always  aiming  at  something  that  is  right  and  good ; 
in  the  pursuit  of  which,  that  strong  understanding 
with  which  it  has  pleased  God  to  bless  you,  will 
direct  you,  and  which  you  will  find  a  thousand  times 
more  pleasant  than  a  life  of  indolence  can  possibly 

DoddridKe.  8 


170  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

be ;  especially  when  you  consider  that  every  capacity 
of  doing  good  is  a  talent  which  God  hath  committed 
to  us,  and  for  which  we  are  accountable. 

"These,  my  dear  girl,  are  hints  which  I  have 
often  given  you,  and  I  now  give  them  in  writing,  that 
you  may  review  them  at  your  leisure,  and  communi 
cate  them,  whenever  you  think  it  necessary,  to  your 
sisters,  that  you  and  they  may  see  how  very  near 
your  interest  lies  to  my  heart.  I  must  now  conclude, 
only  adding,  that  through  the  divine  goodness  I  am 
perfectly  well,  and  as  happy  in  the  friends  now  about 
me  as  I  can  be,  while  absent  from  those  who  must  be 
dearest  of  all.  I  please  myself  with  the  hope  that  a 
few  weeks  will  bring  me  back  to  you  again,  and  that 
the  day  of  my  return  comes  nearer  every  hour.  In 
the  meantime,  you  and  your  dear  mamma  and  sisters 
may  assure  yourselves  that  you  freely  divide  my  heart 
among  you,  in  such  a  manner  as  that  each  has  at  least 
as  large  a  share  as  she  ought,  and  it  is  well  if  each 
has  not  a  larger ;  and  the  necessary  consequence  is, 
that  you  share  my  prayers  too,  in  which  respect  I 
hope  you  will  endeavor  to  balance  accounts  with,  my 
dear  child,  your  ever  affectionate  papa." 

The  domestic  letters  of  the  preceding  pages  ex 
hibit  so  fully  and  so  beautifully  the  private  character 
of  Doddridge,  as  a  husband  and  a  father,  that  no 
comment  is  needed.  Among  his  papers  stands  this 
record : 

"  Jis  a  husband,  it  shall  be  my  daily  care  to  keep 
up  the  spirit  of  religion  in  my  conversation  with 
my  wife;  to  recommend  her  to  the  divine  blessing; 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  171 

to  manifest  an  obliging,  tender  disposition  towards 
her ;  and  particularly  to  avoid  every  thing  which  has 
the  appearance  of  pettishness,  to  which,  amid  my 
various  cares  and  labors,  I  may  in  some  unguarded 
moments  be  liable." 

It  is  said  that  he  took  a  deep  interest  in  promot 
ing  also  the  interests  of  her  relatives,  when  they  were 
in  circumstances  of  destitution  and  affliction. 

His  multiplied  and  incessant  engagements  as  a 
pastor  and  tutor,  while  they  allowed  him  almost  no 
time  for  the  literary  instruction  of  his  children,  did 
not  prevent  him  from  having  a  daily  regard  to  their 
religious  culture  and  general  habits.  Among  his  re 
corded  resolutions  concerning  his  children,  the  follow 
ing  illustrates  his  paternal  regard  for  their  highest 
interests : 

"  Jis  a  father,  it  shall  be  my  care  to  intercede  for 
my  children  daily;  to  converse  with  them  often  on 
some  religious  subject ;  to  drop  some  short  hints  of  a 
serious  kind,  when  there  is  not  room  for  large  dis 
course;  to  pray  sometimes  with  them  separately;  to 
endeavor  to  bring  them  early  to  communion  with  the 
church;  to  study  to  oblige  them  and  secure  their 
affection." 

He  directed  his  attention  with  special  care  to  the 
cultivation  in  them  of  a  kind,  liberal,  and  charitable 
spirit,  as  needful  both  to  their  own  comfort  and  to 
their  usefulness  and  esteem  in  the  world.  He  had 
remarked  that  "  too  many  from  their  tenderest  years 
have  been  taught  to  place  a  part  of  their  religion  in 
the  severity  with  which  they  censure  their  brethren ; 
and  that  a  peccant  humor,  so  early  wrought  into  the 


172  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

constitution,  will  not  easily  be  subdued  by  the  most 
sovereign  medicines.'7  He  guarded  himself,  therefore, 
against  exciting  in  their  youthful  minds  prejudices 
and  unkind  sentiments  towards  Christians  of  other 
denominations  and  peculiarities ;  and  taught  them  to 
reverence  true  Christianity  wherever  it  existed,  and 
to  discriminate  between  essentials  and  circumstantials 
in  their  estimate  of  the  religious  character  of  others. 
JVbr  were  the  servants  of  the  household  overlooked. 
Towards  them  he  was  invariably  affable  and  kind. 
Severity  of  reproof  he  never  indulged  in ;  but  when 
any  gross  misconduct  had  occurred,  it  was  his  prac 
tice  to  argue  the  matter  calmly  with  them,  to  admon 
ish  them,  and  to  pray  with  them.  He  labored  espec 
ially  for  their  conversion  to  Christ,  furnishing  them 
with  the  Bible  and  other  religious  books;  and  on 
Sabbath  evenings,  to  all  his  other  duties,  added  the 
labor  of  discoursing  with  them  apart  upon  religious 
subjects,  and  of  praying  with  them.  Nothing  severe, 
sour,  or  peevish  was  seen  in  his  deportment  to  any  of 
his  domestics.  He  considered  them  all  as  his  chil 
dren,  and  endeavored  to  draw  them  to  their  duty  with 
the  cords  of  love. 

In  his  character  as  a  friend,  Dr.  Doddridge  shines 
preeminent.  All  his  letters  to  his  friends  breathe, 
the  spirit  of  an  elevated  and  disinterested  friendship. 
Some  of  those  already  copied  finely  illustrate  this 
remark.  He  was  accustomed  to  say,  "Blessed  be 
God  for  friendship,  and  the  hope  of  its  being  perfect 
ed  and  eternal  above.  If  it  be  so  delightful  on  earth 
amid  our  mutual  imperfections,  what  will  it  be  in 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  173 

heaven  1"  His  letter  to  Miss  Clarke,  under  date  of 
January  5,  1723,  on  a  preceding  page,  may  in  this 
connection  be  read  with  interest. 

To  his  friend  the  Kev.  Mr.  Hughes  he  wrote, 
Nov.  25,  1726,  "I  entreat  you,  by  all  the  tenderness 
of  friendship,  to  come ;  and  lest  there  should  be  any 
hinderance,  I  will  most  cheerfully  defray  the  charges 
of  your  journey,  which,  if  you  come  on  horseback, 
cannot  be  great.  You  will  have  our  company,  my 
chamber,  my  books,  my  purse,  as  freely  as  you  ever 
could  your  own ;  nor  would  you  question  it,  if  you 
knew  how  entirely  you  command  in  my  heart.  Yes, 
my  dear  friend,  I  esteem  you  more  than  I  can  express. 
Your  society  would  add  a  new  relish  to  every  enjoy 
ment  of  life ;  and  to  say  as  much  as  I  possibly  can,  I 
am  persuaded  I  shall  take  as  much  pleasure  in  serv 
ing  you  as  you  could  in  serving  me." 

Such  being  the  amiable  habit  of  Dr.  Doddridge's 
mind  and  heart,  added  to  other  qualities  of  great 
worth,  it  is  not  surprising  that  he  should  have  been 
honored  with  the  esteem  and  love  of  many  valued  and 
valuable  friends,  among  whom  were  many  persons  of 
rank  and  of  high  culture  and  respectability.  His  cor 
respondence  was  extensive  with  the  clergy  and  laity, 
in  which  the  greatest  respect  is  expressed  for  himself 
and  his  published  writings.  This  high  and  general 
esteem  he  owed,  not  to  his  position,  but  to  his  per 
sonal  merit  as  a  man  and  as  an  author.  His  acquaint 
ance  with  persons  of  great  opulence  and  of  distinction 
was  often  turned  to  the  benefit  of  persons  in  distress, 
in  whose  behalf  he  sought  the  bestowment  of  needed 
favors;  but  he  never  solicited  favors  for  himself. 


1U  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

Alluding,  as  he  sometimes  did,  to  Ms  distinguished 
friends  and  correspondents,  he  remarked,  "  Though  I 
do  not  merit  such  friends,  I  know  how  to  value  them, 
and  I  bless  God  for  them.  I  am  not  insensible  of  the 
blessing,  and  I  hope  ingratitude  does  not  secretly 
lurk  in  any  corner  of  my  heart." 

His  friends  were  not  forgotten  in  his  secret  devo 
tions.  On  days  of  extraordinary  prayer  they  were 
individually  commended  to  God,  when  the  circum 
stances  of  any  seemed  to  require  such  particular  re 
gard.  He  looked  upon  intercession  as  a  valuable 
proof  and  an  admirable  support  of  friendship.  Hence 
he  often  asked  for  it,  and  regarded  it  as  an  invalua 
ble  treasure. 

Another  expression  of  friendship  which  he  greatly 
esteemed  and  employed,  was  the  endeavor  to  improve 
the  character  and  increase  the  usefulness  of  his  friends, 
and  to  seek  from  them  similar  improvement  of  his 
own.  He  often  spoke  of  it  as  a  great  blessing  of  his 
life,  that  God  had  provided  him,  in  successive  periods 
of  life,  with  judicious,  learned,  faithful,  and  pious 
friends,  by  whose  seasonable  cautions  and  admonitions 
he  had  been  preserved  from  many  temptations  and 
indiscretions,  to  which,  in  the  earlier  portions  of  life 
especially,  his  natural  gayety  and  vivacity  of  temper 
had  exposed  him.  Such  friends  he  highly  regarded, 
and  thanked  God  for  the  beneficial  influence  of  their 
faithful  warnings.  To  one  of  his  friends,  who  made 
an  apology  for  the  use  of  freedom  in  some  sugges 
tion  for  his  benefit,  he  with  great  sincerity  replied, 
"  I  thank  God  I  have  not  that  delicacy  of  temper  that 
a  friend  should  need  to  make  an  apology  for  saying 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  175 

and  doing  a  kind  and  proper  thing,  when  there  is, 
what  the  foolish  taste  of  the  present  age  may  some 
times  call,  a  freedom  taken  in  it.  Freedom  in  friend 
ship  is  the  very  soul  of  it,  and  its  necessary  test  and 
support.77  His  own  correspondence  shows  that  he 
always  endeavored  to  promote  a  pious  disposition  in 
those  to  whom  he  wrote,  and  to  engage  them  in  more 
earnest  exertions  for  extending  religion  in  the  world. 
He  often  sought  opportunities  for  personal  religious 
conversation  with  them,  for  mutual  benefit  and  enjoy 
ment.  He  was  accustomed  to  speak  of  the  great 
pleasure  which  he  found  in  the  society  of  his  friends, 
as  affording  him  a  delightful  foretaste  of  the  happi 
ness  of  the  heavenly  world;  and  he  referred  to  the 
snares  and  afflictions  which  arose  even  from  friend 
ship,  as  increasing  his  desire  for  that  perfect  state  of 
being. 

His  correspondence  furnishes  abundant  illustra 
tions  of  the  above  remarks.  The  following  letters 
are  of  this  character  : 

To  the  Rev.  Samuel  Clarke,  D.  D. 
"  From  the  Lodge  in  Whittlebury  Forest,  May  8,  1737. 

"I  take  so  much  pleasure  in  corresponding  with 
you,  that  when  a  moment  of  leisure  coincides  with  an 
opportunity  of  sending  a  line,  I  hardly  know  how  to 
let  it  pass,  and  therefore  I  write  now,  though  I  have 
little  particular  to  say. 

"My  wife  and  I  eloped  yesterday,  at  the  request 
of  a  very  agreeable  and  excellent  lady,  and  are  ar 
rived  at  a  most  elegant  and  rural  retreat,  where,  in 
such  company,  especially  if  yours  were  added.  I  could 
delightfully  spend  more  days  than  my  engagements  at 


116  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

home  will  allow  me  hours.  The  house  is  a  pretty,  well- 
furnished  box,  just  in  the  centre  of  a  fine  forest,  and 
all  that  shady  lawns  and  woodland  ridings  can  do  to 
beautify  and  adorn  it,  is  done.  The  birds  and  sport 
ive  deer  come  and  pay  their  attendance,  as  if  it  were 
their  very  business  to  divert  us.  I  am  delighted  to 
see  how  happily  they  all  live,  and  have  already  con 
tracted  a  kind  of  friendship  for  them,  which  makes 
me  wish  the  lodges  were  nearer  home,  that  I  might 
now  and  then  steal  out  and  leave  all  my  cares  behind 
me,  to  come  and  wander  a  few  hours  in  these  lovely 
solitudes. 

"  Many  occasions  have  called  me  out  of  late ;  and 
the  fine  country  around  us  affords  such  a  variety  of 
entertaining  scenes,  that  I  cannot  forbear  pitying 
nobles  and  princes  who  are  confined  to  a  town  in 
such  a  charming  season,  and  I  think  the  shepherd 
and  the  husbandman  happier  than  they.  In  the  mean 
time  I  open  my  heart  as  widely  as  I  can,  to  take  in 
the  innocent  pleasure  which  arises  from  a  friendly 
sympathy,  not  only  with  the  lowest  of  my  fellow- 
creatures,  but  even  with  the  brutes  themselves,  in 
the  ample  provision  that  an  indulgent  Providence 
has  made  for  their  delight;  and  I  cannot  but  often 
reflect  on  such  occasions,  that  if  this  earth,  the  seat  of 
a  degenerate  race  of  creatures,  and  under  so  many 
tokens  of  the  Divine  displeasure,  be  thus  enriched 
and  embellished,  what  must  those  regions  be  which 
God  has  prepared  for  the  final  abode  of  his  dear  chil 
dren  in  their  perfected  state? 

"I  must  quickly  return;  but  it  is  my  great  com 
fort,  that  as  I  am  to  carry  one  very  agreeable  com- 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  177 

panion  with  me,  so  I  shall  find  many  more  at  North 
ampton,  and  that  I  return  to  a  scene  of  business  which 
affords  me  pleasure ;  for  the  sake  of  which  it  is  well 
worth  my  while  to  relinquish  the  simple  delights  of 
this  little  paradise. 

"I  bless  God  that  the  plantation  under  my  care 
does  in  some  degree  flourish.  My  students  behave 
with  great  regularity,  and  generally  apply  to  their 
studies  with  diligence  and  success.  They  keep  up 
four  or  five  repetitions — [the  reading  of  a  sermon 
composed  by  another  person,  in  some  cases  by  Dr. 
Doddridge] — in  the  neighboring  towns.  I  have,  dear 
sir,  many  things  to  talk  over  with  you,  but  must  defer 
them  till  we  meet  at  St.  Albans,  where  my  wife  and 
I  propose  to  spend  three  or  four  days  on  our  return 
from  London.  In  the  meantime  we  unite  in  humble 
services  to  you  and  Mrs.  Clarke,  the  dear  children, 
and  all  friends ;  and  join  in  assuring  you,  that  if  we 
reserve  our  visit  to  you  for  one  of  the  last,  it  is  for 
this  reason,  among  others,  that  there  are  few  in  which 
we  expect  equal  pleasure." 

To  the  Rev.  Samuel  Ward. 

"  NORTHAMPTON,  April  19, 1745. 

"There  is  hardly  any  thing  that,  when  I  reflect 
upon  it,  gives  me  so  lively  an  idea  of  the  manner  in 
which  I  am  pressed  with  my  various  engagements,  as 
the  dates  of  some  unanswered  letters  from  those  whom, 
of  all  persons  in  the  world,  I  most  value,  and  partic 
ularly  of  yours,  one  of  January  25,  and  the  other 
February  21,  and  those  too,  such  letters  as  I  am 
sure  I  never  deserved,  nor  ever  shall  deserve  to  re 
ceive,  so  full  of  cordial  love,  expressed  in  the  most 


178  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

pathetic  and  endearing  language,  such  indeed  as 
hardly  any  one  but  yourself  could  write  ;  and  mingled 
with  such  esteem  too  as  I  am,  from  my  very  heart, 
conscious  to  myself  to  be  most  undeserving  of. 

"  My  dear  brother,  I  am  ashamed  and  confounded — 
ashamed  that  you  should  think  thus  of  me,  and  that  I 
have  not  long  since  told  you  how  I  was  overwhelmed, 
even  to  tears,  with  the  affection  which  every  line  of 
your  letters  discovers.  I  will  say  nothing  of  my 
business,  as  you  partly  know  it ;  though  the  preparing 
of  Acts  for  the  press  before  the  vacation,  a  second 
edition  of  the  'Rise  and  Progress7  corrected  with 
some  small  additions,  and  the  reading  and  exhibiting 
of  a  course  of  experimental  philosophy,  at  the  rate  of 
three  lectures  in  a  week,  added  to  urgent  and  con 
stant  business,  are  circumstances  which  you  could 
hardly,  however,  have  thought  of  if  not  mentioned; 
nor  eighteen  letters  sent  away  in  two  days,  some  of 
them  pretty  large.  Oh,  with  what  delight  could  I, 
however  weakened  by  my  late  illness,  have  poured 
out  my  heart  to  dear  Mr.  Ward  in  a  whole  sheet, 
and  then  have  complained  that  I  had  room  to  empty 
no  more  of  it  in  answer  to  the  first  or  second  alone. 

"  You  know  not  what  a  burden  and  grief  it  is  to 
me  to  think  that  such  and  such  a  friend,  as  Mr.  Ward, 
Mr.  Barker,  Mr.  Scott,  Dr.  Clarke,  Dr.  Watts,  or  Col. 
Gardiner,  is  neglected  this  post  and  the  next,  and 
yet  the  next  devoted,  perhaps,  to  persons  with  whom 
I  have  no  intimate  friendship,  and  to  whom  1  have 
no  peculiar  obligations,  but  because  business,  duty, 
or  charity  urge,  and  there  can  be  no  delay.  What 
then?  Do  I  forget  those  dear  delightful  names? 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  119 

Rather  let  me  forget  my  food,  my  children,  every 
thing  but  my  Master.  No,  my  heart  bears  them  be 
fore  Him,  though  in  too  contracted  words,  yet  cor 
dially,  tenderly,  almost  daily ;  so  that  it  is  one  of  my 
evening  questions,  Have  I  prayed  for  those  friends 
this  day? 

"I  wish  you  could  see  my  inmost  sentiments  in 
this  respect ;  you  would  not  then  need  letters  to  tell 
you  that  I  esteem  you  in  the  bowels  of  Christ  as  one  of 
his  dearest  servants,  as  one  of  my  dearest  brethren,  as 
one  with  whom  I  could  greatly  rejoice,  had  such  been 
the  divine  will,  to  have  shared  every  day  of  life,  and 
alternately  to  have  attended  and  ministered  to,  in  all 
the  services  of  the  house  of  my  God.  And  indeed  a 
friendship  like  that  which  I  feel  for  you,  dear  sir,  and 
a  few  such  as  you — Oh  that  there  were  very  many — 
would  oppress  my  spirit  even  beneath  its  own  weight, 
if  I  did  not  assuredly  hope  to  satiate  it  all  in  spending 
an  eternity  with  you.  Let  this,  my  worthy  brother, 
be  the  interpreter  of  my  heart  to  you  as  long  as  we 
live ;  for  I  look  not  upon  it  as  a  supposable  cas.e  that 
our  love  can  be  broken.  I  think  I  cannot  be  so  base 
as  to  deserve  it ;  and  I  am  sure  you  are  too  generous 
to  leave  me  any  apprehension  on  the  other  side. 

"  Write  as  often  as  you  can,  and  be  sure  that  every 
letter  will  cheer  and  quicken  me ;  but  should  this  lie 
over  for  many  months  unanswered,  though  I  should 
be  in  pain  for  your  health,  and  long  to  hear  of  you 
and  your  amiable  consort  and  child,  yet  I  would  never 
wrong  our  friendship  by  suspecting  that  you  ceased 
to  love  and  pray  for  me  ;  and  however  business,  or  a 
regard  to  health,  which  will  not  permit  me  always  to 


180  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

hang  over  my  desk,  as,  alas,  I  am  forced  too  much  to 
do,  may  occasion,  as  it  universally  does,  delays  which 
grieve  me  more  than  they  can  my  friends;  be  as 
sured  that  if  any  occasion  arise  in  which  I  can  serve 
you  by  an  immediate  answer,  I  will  not  delay  it  one 
post,  but  would,  as  I  have  in  other  instances  been 
forced  to  do,  dictate  from  a  bed  of  sickness,  and  would 
sign  it,  though  it  were  with  a  dying  hand.  Thus  much 
for  delays  past  and  future. 

"  And  now  what  room  is  there  for  an  answer  ?  I 
hope  to  see  you  at  Norwich  about  the  20th  of  June, 
and  then  I  will  get  an  hour,  if  possible,  to  tell  you  all 
the  story  of  my  sickness  and  recovery.  In  the  gen 
eral,  I  can  only  say,  that  God  even  astonished  me  with 
his  tender  mercies ;  and  that  the  gospel,  the  pure,  un- 
corrupted,  scriptural  gospel,  without  the  aid  or  en 
cumbrance  of  human  schemes,  is  become  dearer  than 
ever  to  my  soul;  nor  the  less  so  for  a  certain  key, 
which,  inter  nos,  for  I  always  write  to  you  with  entire 
confidence,  seems  broken  in  the  lock.  I  wish  some 
skilful  hand  like  yours  would  take  it  out  and  show 
how  wrong  the  wa,rds  are,  and  how  badly  tempered 
the  metal,  notwithstanding  all  the  labor  and  polish. 

"  In  your  success  and  the  growth  of  your  church  I 
rejoice  beyond  expression.  God  has  given  me  back 
my  wife  and  eldest  most  delightful  child,  in  wonderful 
mercy,  from  great  danger,  especially  the  last.  I  long 
to  see  your  pretty  little  Latin  scholar,  to  whom,  with 
her  dear  mamma  and  your  good  self,  my  wife  and  I 
join  in  our  best  services.  My  wife,  if  able  to  under 
take  the  journey,  pleases  herself  much  with  the  hope 
of  seeing  you  both  at  Norwich.  I  shall  rejoice  to 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  181 

serve  good  Mr.  Scott  in  any  future  instance.  I  grieve 
for  the  decline  of  our  interest,  under  such  excellent 
men  too  as  those  fixed  in  some  of  the  places  you  men 
tion.  God  is  gracious  to  us  here  in  strengthening 
us  all  around.  You  shall  know  more  of  the  state  of 
my  academy  when  I  see  you.  May  your  church,  your 
family,  and  your  soul,  be  like  a  watered  garden." 

About  this  period  the  Rev.  Dr.  Taylor  of  Norwich, 
a  gentleman  distinguished  for  great  talents  and  learn 
ing,  published  " A  Key  to  the  Romans"  a  work  design 
ed  to  illustrate  the  doctrines  of  the  apostle  Paul, 
but  which  was  unhappily  more  than  slightly  tinged 
with  Unitarian  errors.  This  fact  will  explain  a  pas 
sage  in  the  foregoing  letter,  written  to  a  minister  who 
resided  in  the  same  city. 

We  may  add  here,  that  Dr.  Taylor  was  at  one 
period  a  tutor  of  a  small  dissenting  college  at  War- 
rington,  and  once  expressed  his  surprise  that  many 
of  his  students  became  Deists;  so  little  did  he  seem 
aware  of  the  natural  tendency  of  his  own  views. 
It  is  said  that  he  once  observed  that  if  what  are 
termed  the  doctrines  of  grace  were  in  the  epistle  to 
the  Romans,  it  was  remarkable  he  could  not  see  them 
there ;  on  which  the  excellent  John  Newton  remarked 
to  him.  "I  am  not  surprised  at  this.  I  once  went  to 
light  my  candle  with  the  extinguisher  on  it.  It  is  not 
enough  that  you  bring  the  candle,  you  must  remove 
the  extinguisher."  Some  of  the  errors  of  Dr.  Taylor 
were  very  strenuously  and  successfully  opposed  by 
the  elder  President  Edwards,  as  may  be  seen  in  his 
works. 


182  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

To  the  Rev.  John  Wesley. 

"  NORTHAMPTON,  July  29,  1746. 

"I  am  truly  glad  that  the  long  letter  I  last  sent 
you  was  agreeable  to  you.  I  bless  God  that  my  prej 
udices  against  the  writers  of  the  Establishment  were 
so  early  removed.  And  I  rejoice  greatly  when  I  see 
that  prejudices  against  their  brethren  of  any  denom 
ination  are  likewise  subsided  in  those  whom,  upon 
other  accounts,  I  most  highly  esteem  as  the  excellent 
of  the  earth,  and  that  we  are  coming  nearer  to  the 
harmony  in  which  I  hope  we  shall  ever  be  one  in 
Christ  Jesus. 

"I  have  always  esteemed  it  to  be  the  truest  act  of 
friendship,  to  use  our  mutual  endeavors  to  render  the 
characters  of  each  other  as  blameless  and  as  valuable 
as  possible  ;  and  I  have  never  felt  a  more  affectionate 
sense  of  my  obligations,  than  when  those  worthy  persons 
who  have  honored  me  with  their  affection  and  corre 
spondence,  have  freely  told  me  what  they  thought 
amiss  in  my  temper  and  conduct.  This  therefore, 
dear  sir,  is  an  office  you  might  reasonably  expect 
from  me  if  I  had  for  some  time  enjoyed  an  intimate 
knowledge  of  you.  But  it  has  always  been  a  maxim 
with  me  not  to  believe  any  flying  story  to  the  prej 
udice  of  those  whom  I  had  apparent  reason,  from 
what  I  knew  of  them,  to  esteem  •  and  consequently  as 
I  should  never  make  this  a  foundation,  you  must  be 
contented  to  wait  longer  before  you  receive  that  office 
of  paternal  love  which  you  ask. 

"Your  caution  has  suggested  a  thought  to  me, 
whether  it  be  modest  to  call  ourselves  humble.  If 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  183 

the  expression  means  a  real  readiness  to  serve  in  love 
in  any  thing  low,  as  in  washing  the  feet  of  another,  I 
hope  I  can  say,  'I  am  your  humble  servant;7  but  if  it 
mean  one  who  is  in  all  respects  as  humble  as  he 
could  wish,  God  forbid  I  should  arrogate  so  proud  a 
title.  In  what  can  I  say  I  have  already  attained? 
only,  in  that  I  love  my  divine  Master,  and  would  not 
have  a  thought  in  my  heart  that  He  should  disap 
prove.  I  feel  a  sweetness  in  being  assuredly  in  his 
gracious  hand,  which  all  the  world  cannot  possibly 
afford ;  and  which  I  really  think  would  make  me 
happier  in  a  dark  dungeon,  than  ten  thousand  worlds 
could  render  me  without  it;  and  therefore  I  love 
every  creature  on  the  earth  that  bears  his  image  ; 
and  I  do  not  except  those  who,  through  ignorance, 
rashness,  or  prejudice,  have  greatly  injured  me." 

From  the  Rev.  John  Jones. 

"January  25,  1736. 

"The  first  thing  I  have  to  say  to  you  is,  that  I 
thank  you  most  cordially  for  your  late  most  friendly 
visit,  which  delighted,  exhilarated,  and  improved  me 
more  than  any  which  I  have  received  for  some  time. 
But  do  not  think  I  can  be  content  with  having  thank 
ed  you  once  for  your  visit.  No,  I  must  thank  you 
again ;  and  when  I  have  done  all,  the  gratitude  of  my 
heart  will  still  remain  unexpressed;  for,  believe  me, 
my  friend,  nothing  can  exhibit  the  sweet  joy  I  felt 
within  me  while  you  were  with  me,  and  which  I  feel 
on  every  remembrance  of  the  entertainment  which 
your  society  gave  me.  But  would  you  believe  it,  sir, 
even  when  you  left  me  I  was  also  in  joy:  not  be 
cause  you  were  gone,  for  I  should  delight  to  dwell 


184  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

with  you  for  ever ;  and  I  hope  one  day  I  shall  dwell 
with  you,  without  the  fear  of  a  separation.  Was  it 
because  you  gave  me  hopes  of  seeing  you  soon  again  ? 
No,  though  I  earnestly  wish  it  had  been  so;  and  yet 
you  did  not  leave  me  without  giving  me  some  encour 
agement  of  the  kind.  But  what  made  me  continue  in 
so  joyful  a  mood  after  you  had  left  me?  Well,  I  will 
leave  a  friend  to  judge  of  the  affections  of  a  friend 
by  his  own.  There  could  be  no  other  cause  than  the 
delight  inspired  by  your  conversation,  whereby  you 
raised  new  sentiments  in  my  soul,  and  infused  into  it 
an  unknown  sweetness ;  and  that  in  so  powerful  a 
manner  as  to  make  it  impossible  that  the  impression 
should  immediately  wear  off,  and  I  trust  that  it  never 
will.  I  have  on  other  occasions  frequently  found  my 
self  in  a  situation  much  less  agreeable,  when  my  friends 
have  left  me,  or  on  my  leaving  them;  for  a  sudden 
damp  hath  sometimes  seized  my  mind  when  we  part 
ed:  but  when  Dr.  Doddridge  left  me,  I  was  almost 
surprised  as  much  as  I  was  pleased,  to  find  a  con 
tinuance  of  that  satisfaction  which  I  expected  would 
vanish  with  his  departure.  0  my  dear  friend,  there 
is  surely  something  divine  in  the  presence  and  con 
versation  of  a  good  man,  which  leaves  behind  it  a 
sweet  and  lasting  energy.  And  I  humbly  hope  that 
the  divinity,  in  one  sense,  was  with  us,  and  in  us, 
while  we  conversed  together,  and  will  still  continue 
to  enliven  us  while  we  are  absent  from  each  other ; 
but  let  not  that  absence  continue  long,  for  you  have 
left  other  friends  here  besides  me,  who  will  be  glad 
to  see  you,  and  to  improve  by  your  Christian  conver 
sation  whenever  you  can  come. 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  185 

"Tell  Mr.  Jennings  I  heartily  thank  him  for  his 
visit,  and  the  more  for  its  being  in  company  with  his 
tutor.  May  God  prosper  him  when  he  enters  upon 
his  ministry,  and  make  him  an  instrument  towards 
rooting  out  bigotry  in  a  divided  people ;  foi*  there 
are  those  on  both  sides  in  that  town  who,  I  have  rea 
son  to  believe,  have  not  yet  attained  to  a  full  measure 
of  the  Christian  spirit.  Will  he  labor,  under  God,  to 
introduce  it?  Will  he  show  a  meek  disposition  by 
an  attractive  behavior?  If  I  am  not  mistaken  in  him, 
he  will.  He  seems  to  promise  so  much.  Nor  can  I 
think  that  any  who  have  had  their  education  under 
you,  will  do  otherwise.  May  the  same  good  spirit 
which  I  find  in  my  friend,  animate  the  breast  of  all 
who  are  under  his  care,  and  may  they  diffuse  Chris 
tian  sentiments,  and  promote  a  Christian  practice, 
wherever  they  go.  May  schism  and  division,  and  the 
alienation  of  hearts,  vanish  from  henceforth.  May 
universal  amity  prevail,  and  truth  for  ever  triumph 
over  error,  in  men  of  all  persuasions.  What  Chris 
tian  heart  can  refuse  joining  with  me  in  these  senti 
ments  and  prayers?'7 

Dr.  Doddridge  seems  to  have  possessed  in  a  won 
derful  degree  the  happy  art  of  administering  reproof 
in  a  gentle  but  effectual  manner  to  persons  in  high 
life,  a  service  of  true  friendship  requiring  equal  tact 
and  resolution.  He  attained  his  object  usually  by 
noticing  some  good  quality  in  them,  while  he  referred 
to  their  irregularities.  A  fine  example  is  furnished 
in  the  next  letter. 


186  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 


To  Sir  John  R. 


"  NORTHAMPTON,  Dec.  8,  1742. 

"  DEAR  SIR  JOHN — Permit  me  frankly  to  speak  my 
mind  to  you  on  a  head  on  which  I  fear  to  be  silent, 
lest  I  should  fail  in  gratitude  to  a  gentleman  to  whom 
I  think  myself  much  obliged,  and  whom  I  would  glad 
ly  serve  to  the  best  of  my  ability. 

"Be  not  angry  when  I  tell  you  I  was  heartily 
grieved  at  the  liberties  you  took  last  night  in  using 
the  venerable  name  of  the  ever  blessed  God  in  so 
light  a  manner ;  and  in  the  needless  appeals  which 
you  made  to  Him  as  to  matters  which  would  have 
been  believed  on  much  less  evidence  than  the  word  of 
Sir  John  R n. 

"I  have  not  for  some  years  heard  so  much  lan 
guage  of  that  kind,  except  when  passing  by  people  of 
low  education  in  the  streets  ;  whether  it  be  owing 
to  the  complaisance  with  which  gentlemen  commonly 
treat  our  profession,  or,  as  I  rather  hope,  to  a  sense 
of  what  is  in  itself  reasonable  and  decent. 

"I  am  sure,  sir,  that  your  knowledge  of  men  and 
things  is  capable  of  making  conversation  pleasant  and 
improving,  without  those  dreadful  expletives;  for 
dreadful  I  must  call  them,  when  considered  in  a  view 
to  that  strict  account  which  must  so  certainly  and  so 
quickly  be  rendered  up  to  God,  for  all  our  words  as 
well  as  our  actions. 

"I  was  the  more  solicitous,  sir,  to  mention  the 
affair  to  you,  in  consideration  of  your  office  as  a  mag 
istrate  ;  the  dignity  of  which  would  certainly  be  most 
effectually  supported  by  avoiding  whatever  it  might 
require  you  to  punish  in  others.  In  this  view,  per- 


PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  181 

mit  me  to  entreat  you  to  join  your  efforts  with  those* 
of  all  other  wise  and  good  men  to  discountenance, 
and,  if  possible,  to  drive  out  of  the  world  this  unprof 
itable  enormity  of  swearing  in  common  conversation ; 
concerning  the  evil  of  which  I  am  sure  it  is  not  neces 
sary  to  enlarge,  when  addressing  myself  to  a  gentle 
man  of  your  understanding. 

"I  conclude,  sir,  with  my  most  affectionate  good 
wishes  and  prayers  for  you,  that  the  whole  of  your 
conduct,  in  every  circumstance  of  life,  may  be  such  as 
will  yield  the  most  pleasing  reflections  in  the  awful 
hour  of  death,  and  the  most  comfortable  account  be 
fore  that  divine  tribunal  to  which  we  are  all  hasten 
ing  ;  and  in  the  serious  expectation  of  which,  I  have 
presumed  to  give  you  this  trouble,  hoping  that  you 
will  esteem  it,  as  it  undoubtedly  is,  a  proof  that  I  am, 
with  great  sincerity, 

"  Your  most  faithful  and  obedient  servant, 

"PHILIP  DODDRIDGE." 

Dr.  Doddridge's  diary  contains  the  following  en 
try  in  reference  to  the  above  letter:  "I  thought  it 

more  respectful  to  write  to  Sir  John  R n  on  this 

occasion,  than  to  speak  to  him  before  the  company ; 
but  it  is  a  law  I  lay  down  to  myself  to  do  the  one  or 
the  other,  lest  I  should  seem  too  indifferent  to  the 
honor  of  God,  and  the  good  of  my  friends,  and  of  the 
world  about  them." 


188  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 


CHAPTER  IY. 

HIS  MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON. 

DR.  JAMES  HAMILTON  has  well  said,  that  "  to  Eng 
lish  non-conformity  Northampton  is,  or  ought  to  be, 
a  sort  of  Mecca.  Three  hundred  years  ago  it  gave 
birth  to  Robert  Brown,  the  father  of  English  Congre 
gationalism  ;  and  within  the  last  generations,  North 
ampton  and  its  neighborhood  have  been  a  chief  strong 
hold  of  the  English  Baptists.  It  was  here  that  the 
Rylands  ministered :  the  elder,  in  his  orthodox  vehe 
mence  a  Boanerges,  in  his  tender  feelings  a  'beloved 
disciple  ;'  the  younger  famous  for  his  microscopic  eyes, 
and  who  ought  to  have  been  famous  for  his  telescopic 
heart ;  for  never  was  there  spirit  more  catholic,  or  one 
who  could  espy  goodness  at  a  greater  distance.  It 
was  in  the  adjacent  town  of  Kettering  that  Andrew 
Fuller  labored  for  thirty  years ;  in  a  noisy  study,  for 
it  was  withal  a  populous  nursery,  composing  those 
volumes  which  have  gone  so  far  to  give  the  right  tone 
and  attempering  to  modern  Calvinism ;  a  deep  digger 
in  the  Bible  mine,  and  whose  rich,  though  clumsy  in 
gots  supply  to  the  present  day  the  mint  of  many  a 
sermon-coiner.  Himself  too  homely  to  be  a  popular 
preacher,  and  too  unambitious  to  regret  it,  he  was  in 
contrivance  resourceful,  and  in  counsel  sagacious  ;  the 
main-spring  of  each  denominational  movement,  and 
one  of  the  purest  philanthropists,  but  blunt  and  un 
gainly  withal.  And  in  Northampton  and  its  sur- 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  189 

rounding  villages  a  poor  cobbler  used  to  ply  his 
craft — for  Northampton  is  the  Selkirk  of  the  South — 
its  citizens  are  sutors :  and  leaving  at  home  his  brok 
en-hearted  wife,  poor  cobbler  Carey  would  hawk  from 
door  to  door  his  shoes  of  supererogation  to  pay  the 
funeral  charges  of  his  child.  Under  ague  and  rain, 
and  the  unsalable  sackful,  he  was  revolving  that  east 
ern  mission  of  which  he  was  soon  to  be  the  father  and 
founder,  and  from  borrowed  grammars  acquiring  those 
elements  of  polyglottal  power  which  shortly  devel 
oped  in  the  Briareus  of  oriental  translation. 

"But  our  pilgrimage  to  Northampton  was  mainly 
impelled  by  veneration  for  another  worthy,  PHILIP 
DODDRIDGE.  We  went  to  see  the  spot  ennobled  by  the 
saintliest  name  in  last  century's  dissenting  ministry. 
We  went  to  see  the  house  where  '  The  Rise  and  Prog 
ress'  was  written.  We  visited  the  old  chapel,  with  its 
square  windows  and  sombre  walls,  where  so  many  fer 
vent  exhortations  were  once  poured  forth,  and  so  much 
enduring  good  accomplished.  We  entered  the  pulpit 
where  Doddridge  used  to  preach,  and  the  pew  where 
Colonel  Gardiner  worshipped.  We  sat  in  the  old 
arm-chair  beside  the  vestry  fire,  and  flanking  the  little 
table  on  which  so  many  pages  of  that  affecting  diary 
were  written.  And  with  a  view  of  a  supposed  orig 
inal  likeness  in  the  study  of  our  host — a  minister  of 
the  same  school  with  Doddridge — we  finished  our 
Northampton  pilgrimage." 

The  first  object  of  Dr.  Doddridge's  pursuit  as  a 
pastor,  was  to  possess  himself  of  an  acquaintance  with 
the  families  of  his  congregation.  These  being  scat 
tered  in  several  neighboring  villages,  he  held  fre- 


190  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

quent  interviews  with  his  deacons  and  others,  oj 
means  of  whom  he  learned  the  names,  places  of  abode, 
character,  and  circumstances  of  his  church-members 
and  stated  hearers.  All  information  of  this  kind  he 
recorded  in  a  book,  which  he  often  consulted  as  a 
means  of  guiding  him  in  his  public  and  private  ad 
dresses,  so  as  to  render  them  most  appropriate  and 
useful.  Even  the  names  and  character  of  the  servants 
in  the  different  families  were  not  omitted ;  and  a  min 
ute  was  made  of  the  exhortations  he  had  given  them 
and  others,  of  the  reception  he  had  met  with,  of  the 
promises  they  had  made,  and  of  their  wants  as  to 
religious  books,  or  of  the  supplies  he  had  furnished. 
Thus  he  provided  himself  with  materials  for  a  histor 
ical  register  of  his  congregation,  and  was  enabled 
better  to  pray  and  to  preach  in  adaptation  to  the 
particular  wants  of  all  the  members  of  his  congre 
gation. 

"  Previous  to  his  coming  to  Northampton,  when 
his  congregations  were  small,  and  retired,  he  had  ex 
pended  a  large  amount  of  time  and  care  in  the  com 
position  of  his  sermons,  and  in  the  study  of  the  Scrip 
tures  ;  but  now  the  demands  of  a  large  and  scattered 
congregation,  added  to  the  exhausting  labors  of  a 
theological  instructor,  obliged  him  to  be  less  exact 
and  elaborate  in  his  pulpit  preparations.  Sometimes 
he  wrote  nothing  more  than  the  heads  and  principal 
thoughts  of  his  sermons,  and  the  texts  of  Scripture  to 
be  introduced;  but  so  well  furnished  was  his  mind, 
so  warm  and  devotional  his  temper  of  heart,  and  so 
ready  his  command  of  language  and  of  thought,  that 
even  with  this  small  amount  of  written  preparation 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  IA 

he  was  accustomed  to  preach  with  great  acceptance. 
On  special  occasions,  and  when,  through  bodily  indis 
position  or  the  pressure  of  afflictive  providences,  he 
could  not  so  well  depend  on  extemporary  effort,  he 
reduced  more  fully  his  thoughts  to  writing." 

Rev.  Dr.  Kippis  says,  "  I  remember  a  remarkable 
instance  of  his  power  of  extemporaneous  speaking. 
Akenside  the  poet,  being  visited  by  some  relations 
who  were  dissenters,  came  with  them  unexpectedly 
one  Sunday  morning  to  Dr.  Doddridge's  chapel.  The 
subject  he  preached  upon  was  a  common  orthodox 
topic,  for  which  he  had  scarcely  made  any  prepara 
tion  ;  but  he  roused  his  faculties  on  the  occasion,  and 
spoke  with  such  energy,  variety,  and  eloquence,  as 
excited  my  warmest  admiration,  and  must  have  im 
pressed  Dr.  Akenside  with  a  high  opinion  of  his 
abilities." 

His  favorite  topics  were  the  grand  doctrines  and 
duties  of  the  gospel,  adapted,  in  the  style  of  discussion, 
to  the  plainest  minds  in  his  audience.  Dry  criticisms, 
abstruse  and  metaphysical  discussions,  he  never  intro 
duced  into  his  discourses;  nor  did  he  deal  in  moral 
and  philosophical  essays.  Controversial  points  were 
seldom  discussed  in  the  pulpit,  those  especially  of 
which  his  congregation  were  ignorant;  nor  did  he 
occupy  precious  time  in  the  confutation  of  errors 
which  they  were  in  no  danger  of  adopting.  When 
his  subject  naturally  led  him  to  refer  to  writers  from 
whom  he  differed  in  opinion,  he  spoke  of  them  in  re 
spectful  and  candid  terms,  while  he  reverently  made 
an  appeal  to  the  sacred  Scriptures  as  the  high  and 
infallible  standard  of  doctrine,  and  of  duty,  to  which 


192  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

sentiment  and  conduct  should  be  in  all  cases  conform 
ed.  It  was  his  practice  to  dwell  upon  the  points  in 
which  all  Christians  are  agreed,  and  not  to  magnify 
into  undue  importance  the  differences  of  opinion  by 
which  they  are  characterized.  He  abhorred  all  severe 
invectives  in  the  pulpit  against  Christian  brethren; 
and  could  not  endure  the  display  of  any  malignant  or 
unkind  feelings  towards  them. 

Seldom  did  he  preach  topical  sermons,  having  no 
relation  to  any  particular  text;  but  he  constructed 
his  sermons  directly  upon  the  text  selected,  from 
which,  and  its  connection,  and  the  design  of  the  sacred 
writer,  he  often  derived  most  happy  and  striking 
thoughts.  When  the  full  discussion  of  a  subject  re 
quired  more  than  one  or  two  discourses,  he  generally 
selected  a  new  text,  affording  fresh  illustrations,  and 
thus  gaining  the  closer  attention  of  the  hearers,  and 
promoting  a  larger  acquaintance  with  the  word  of 
God  itself. 

He  indulged  in  a  wide  range  of  subjects  selected 
from  all  parts  of  the  Bible,  historical,  biographical, 
prophetical,  as  well  as  the  doctrinal  and  practical. 
He  would  often  comment  upon  passages  from  the 
prophets  relating  to  the  history  of  the  Israelites,  or 
of  some  good  man  among  them,  and  apply  them  to 
the  circumstances  of  Christians.  He  thus  illustrated 
the  design  of  the  prophecies,  the  divine  wisdom, 
grace,  and  faithfulness  displayed  in  them,  and  the 
practical  instructions  which  they  were  suited  to  im 
part.  By  adopting  occasionally  this  style  of  preach 
ing,  an  agreeable  and  useful  variety  was  given  to  his 
pulpit  instructions. 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  193 

The  popularity  and  usefulness  of  Ms  sermons  are 
to  be  attributed  in  no  small  degree  to  the  simplicity 
of  his  style,  and  to  the  orderly  arrangement  of  his 
thoughts.  To  borrow  the  language  of  the  North 
British  Review,  "  At  a  glance  he  saw  every  thing 
which  could  simplify  his  subject,  and  he  had  self- 
denial  sufficient  to  forego  those  good  things  which 
would  only  encumber  it.  Hence,  like  his  college  lec 
tures,  his  sermons  were  continuous  and  straightfor 
ward,  and  his  hearers  had  the  comfort  of  accompany 
ing  him  to  a  goal  which  they  and  he  constantly  kept 
in  view.  It  was  his  plan  not  only  to  divide  his  dis 
courses,  but  to  enunciate  the  divisions  again  and 
again,  till  they  were  fully  imprinted  on  the  memory ; 
and  although  such  a  method  would  impart  a  fatal 
stiffness  to  many  compositions,  in  his  manipulation  it 
only  added  clearness  to  his  meaning,  and  precision  to 
his  proofs.  Dr.  Doddridge's  was  not  the  simplicity 
of  happy  illustration.  In  his  writings  you  meet  few 
of  those  apt  allusions  which  play  over  every  line  of 
Bunyan,  like  the  slant  beams  of  evening  on  the  wink 
ing  lids  of  the  ocean ;  nor  can  you  gather  out  of  his 
writings  such  anecdotes  as,  like  garnets  in  some  High 
land  mountain,  sparkle  in  every  page  of  Brooks  and 
Flavel.  Nor  was  it  the  simplicity  of  homely  lan 
guage.  It  was  not  the  terse  and  self-commending 
Saxon,  of  which  Latimer  in  one  age,  and  Swift  in 
another,  and  Cobbett  in  our  own,  have  been  the 
mighty  masters,  and  through  it  the  masters  of  their 
English  fellows.  But  it  was  the  simplicity  of  clear 
conception  and  orderly  arrangement.  A  text  or  topic 
may  be  compared  to  a  goodly  apartment  still  empty ; 

Doddridge.  9 


194  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

and  which  will  be  very  differently  garnished  accord 
ing  as  you  move  into  it  piece  by  piece  the  furniture 
from  a  similar  chamber,  or  pour  in  pell-mell  the  con 
tents  of  a  lumber  attic.  Most  minds  can  appreciate 
order,  and  to  the  majority  of  hearers  it  is  a  greater 
treat  than  ministers  always  imagine,  to  get  some  ob 
scure  matter  made  plain,  or  some  confused  subject 
cleared  up.  With  this  treat  Doddridge's  readers  and 
hearers  were  constantly  indulged.  Whether  they 
were  things  new  or  old,  from  the  orderly  compart 
ments  of  his  memory  he  fetched  the  argument  or  the 
quotation  which  the  moment  wanted.  He  knew  his 
own  mind,  and  told  it  in  his  own  way,  and  was  always 
natural,  arresting,  instructive.  And  even  if,  in  giving 
them  forth,  they  should  cancel  the  ticket-marks — the 
numerals  by  which  they  identify  and  arrange  their 
own  materials — authors  and  orators  who  wish  to  con 
vince  and  to  edify,  must  strive  in  the  first  place  to  be 
orderly." 

In  the  application  of  his  sermons  he  was  distin 
guished  by  an  affectionate  warmth  and  energy  of  man 
ner;  in  matter  he  described  accurately  and  experi 
mentally  the  workings  of  the  heart,  in  the  circum 
stances  to  which  the  subject  of  the  discourse  referred. 
His  preaching  thus  differed  widely  from  that  cold  and 
philosophical  style  at  that  time  too  prevalent  in  Eng 
land.  "  While  I  have  any  reverence  for  Scripture, 
or  any  knowledge  of  human  nature,"  remarks  he,  "  I 
shall  never  affect  to  speak  of  the  glories  of  Christ, 
and  of  the  eternal  interests  of  men,  as  coldly  as  if  I 
were  reading  a  lecture  of  mathematics,  or  relating  an 
experiment  in  natural  philosophy.  It  is  indeed  un- 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  195 

worthy  of  the  character  of  a  man  and  a  Christian  to 
endeavor  to  transport  men's  passions  while  the  under 
standing  is  left  uninformed,  and  the  judgment  uncon 
vinced.  But  so  far  as  is  consistent  with  a  proper 
regard  to  this  leading  power  of  our  nature,  I  would 
speak  and  write  of  divine  truths  with  a  holy  fervency. 
Nor  can  I  imagine  that  it  would  bode  well  to  the 
interest  of  religion  to  endeavor  to  lay  all  those  pas 
sions  asleep  which  surely  God  implanted  in  our  hearts 
to  serve  the  religious,  as  well  as  the  civil  life,  and 
which,  after  all,  will  probably  be  employed  to  some 
very  excellent  or  very  pernicious  purposes." 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Richard  Newton,  writing  to  Dod- 
dridge,  Jan.  20,  1744,  says,  "  Bishop  Burnett,  in  the 
'  History  of  his  Times/  speaking  of  Nairn,  observes, 
that  he  considered  the  pastoral  function  as  a  dedica 
tion  of  the  whole  man  to  God  and  his  service ;  and 
whoever  reads  your  discourse  on  the  '  Evil  and  Dan 
ger  of  Neglecting  the  Souls  of  Men/  will,  I  think,  be 
convinced  that  you  are  of  the  same  opinion." 

"  He  that  winneth  souls  is  wise,"  and  in  the  words 
of  the  North  British  Review,  "  this  winsomeness  was 
Doddridge's  main  wisdom.  There  was  something  in 
his  temper  and  affections  more  evangelical  than  even 
in  his  theology.  His  remonstrances  were  compas 
sionate;  his  reproofs  regretful  amid  their  faithful 
ness;  his  warnings  all  the  more  solemn  because  of 
their  evident  sympathy ;  and  his  exhortations  encour 
aging  and  alluring  from  the  benevolent  hopefulness 
with  which  they  were  freighted. 

"Like  an  honest  man  and  a  real  orator,  in  his 
sermons  his  first  object  was  to  be  understood,  and 


106  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

therefore  his  language  was  plain  and  unambitious. 
But  he  wished  to  be  understood  only  because  he  wish 
ed  to  be  felt,  and  therefore  from  the  very  outset  of 
his  discourse  there  was  a  perceptible  glow  of  benevo 
lence  and  desirousness,  which,  towards  the  close,  kin 
dled  into  the  most  fervent  remonstrance  and  entreaty. 
And  while,  owing  to  the  pellucid  clearness  of  his  own 
mind,  his  meaning  was  always  manifest,  and  while, 
owing  to  his  logical  habits  of  arrangement,  his  most 
hurried  compositions  were  always  coherent  and  in 
structive,  the  least  enlightened  hearer,  if  he  missed 
the  ingenious  exposition,  or  the  elaborate  argument, 
could  hardly  miss  the  contagion  of  the  preacher's 
earnestness.  And  surely  that  sermon  is  the  best 
which  remains  not  so  much  a  deposit  in  the  memory 
as  a  solution  through  the  feelings,  and  which  is  re 
called,  not  by  some  pithy  remark,  or  pretty  figure, 
but  by  the  consciousness  that  some  sin  was  then  de 
tected,  some  holy  impulse  imparted,  some  new  majesty 
or  endearment  thrown  around  the  person  of  the  Sav 
iour.  Within  the  compass  of  English  literature, 
scores  of  sermons  might  be  quoted,  more  ingenious, 
and  more  eloquent,  but  not  many  which  more  enchain 
the  reader  when  he  has  once  begun  to  peruse  them, 
and  not  many  which  in  their  original  delivery  made 
deeper  and  more  enduring  impressions — impressions 
in  despite  of  an  unmelodious  voice  and  a  nervous 
excess  of  action,  and  which  included  all  classes  of  his 
Northampton  hearers,  from  boors  who  could  not  read 
the  alphabet  up  to  Akenside  the  poet." 

He  was  accustomed  in  his  preaching  to  derive 
lessons  of  instruction  from  the  providence  of  God, 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  197 

calling  public  attention  to  remarkable  occurrences 
affecting  the  nation,  the  community,  or  families  in  his 
congregation.  He  referred  to  any  uncommon  phe 
nomena  in  nature,  or  other  events  that  had  attracted 
public  notice.  He  discoursed  upon  events  connected 
with  the  seasons  of  the  year,  and  especially  the  boun 
ties  of  the  season  of  harvest,  conveying  sundry  lessons 
of  wisdom  and  piety.  He  abounded  in  funeral-ser 
mons,  delivering  them  for  the  greater  part  of  such  as 
died  in  communion  with  his  church,  not  excluding 
even  the  poorest  among  them ;  and  for  other  persons 
also,  when,  in  the  circumstances  of  their  death  or 
character,  there  was  any  thing  of  peculiar  interest. 
He  conceived  such  seasons  of  adversity  favorable  to 
success  in  preaching  the  gospel  to  the  afflicted  and 
their  friends. 

When  health  allowed,  he  preached  twice  on  the 
Sabbath;  and  if  the  services  of  one  part  of  the  day 
were  performed  at  any  time  by  one  of  his  senior 
pupils  who  had  entered  the  ministry,  he  did  not  spare 
himself  on  that  account,  but  often  preached  in  the 
evening.  His  published  discourses  on  Regeneration, 
and  on  Popery,  were  preached  on  such  occasions. 
When  there  was  no  public  evening  lecture,  he  repeat 
ed  his  sermons  to  his  own  family,  and  to  as  many  of 
his  people  and  neighbors  as  desired  to  attend  at  his 
own  house.  On  these  occasions  he  sometimes  added, 
for  the  benefit  of  his  theological  students,  critical 
remarks  on  the  texts  discussed,  and  learned  reflec 
tions  on  the  subject,  not  so  well  suited  to  a  popular 
auditory.  On  Sabbath  morning  it  was  his  usual 
custom,  before  "sermon,  to  expound  a  portion  of  Scrip- 


198  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

ture,  and  deduce  practical  reflections,  at  the  same 
time  instructing  his  hearers  how  to  read  with  profit, 
and  to  meditate  on  the  word  of  God.  His  devotional 
exercises,  and  his  method  of  administering  the  ordi 
nances,  are  represented  as  uncommonly  excellent  and 
impressive.  He  possessed  an  extraordinary  gift  in 
prayer,  having  diligently  cultivated  a  devotional  and 
fervent  spirit.  At  the  Lord's  table  he  endeavored  to 
affect  the  hearts  and  strengthen  the  graces  of  the 
people  of  God  by  devout  and  practical  meditations  on 
some  appropriate  passage  of  Scripture :  a  large  num 
ber  of  these  have  been  published,  and  add  greatly  to 
the  author's  deserved  reputation  for  intelligence  and 
piety. 

An  occurrence  after  a  sermon  by  Dr.  Doddridge 
was  so  solemn  and  instructive,  that  we  must  not  omit 
it.  The  sermon  was  on  the  Christian's  calling,  and 
the  glorious  hopes  and  prospects  he  had  before  him. 
After  the  close  of  the  service,  a  man  who  had  attend 
ed  it  went  up  to  the  preacher,  and  thus  addressed 
him :  "  You  have  given  us  an  excellent  and  encourag 
ing  discourse;  but  these  privileges  do  not  belong  to 
me,  nor  shall  I  ever  have  the  least  interest  in  them." 
"What  reason,"  asked  the  doctor,  "have  you  for 
saying  so  ?  Jesus  is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost." 
The  man  replied,  "  I  will  tell  you  my  circumstances, 
and  then  you  will  not  be  surprised.  I  once  made  a 
profession  of  religion,  which  I  supported  with  great 
regularity  and  decorum  for  several  years.  I  was 
very  strict  in  the  performance  of  the  duties  required 
by  Christianity.  None  could  charge  me  with  irregu 
larity  of  conduct,  or  the  neglect  of  positive  commands  j 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  199 

but  in  course  of  time  my  zeal  declined,  and  I  became 
careless  in  my  conduct  and  intercourse  with  my  friends 
and  neighbors.  I  felt  no  satisfaction  in  the  perform 
ance  of  religious  duties,  and  gradually  ceased  my 
observance  of  them.  Instead  of  praying  two  or  three 
times  a  day,  I  only  prayed  once ;  the  same  with  regard 
to  family  religion;  and  in  time  these  sacred  duties 
were  entirely  omitted.  My  external  conduct  was 
soon  changed.  Ungodly  company  and  the  gratifica 
tion  of  sensual  appetites  became  my  enjoyments,  and 
my  conscience  seldom  made  me  uneasy  as  to  the  future 
state,  which  serious  reflection  would  have  made  the 
source  of  pain.  Soon  after  this  change  took  place,  I 
was  left  guardian  to  a  young  lady  whose  fortune  was 
committed  to  my  care;  but  I  spent  her  money,  and 
ruined  her  reputation.  Still  I  felt  how  very  far  pref 
erable  was  a  virtuous  life  to  a  wicked  one,  and  I  was 
careful  to  instruct  my  children  in  the  principles  of 
religion.  One  evening,  when  I  returned  from  my  sinful 
engagements,  I  asked  them  my  usual  question,  '  could 
they  repeat  their  lesson.7  'Yes,7  said  the  youngest, 
'  and  I  have  a  lesson  'for  you  too,  papa.7  She  then 
read  the  text,  '  Because  I  have  purged  thee,  and  thou 
wast  not  purged,  thou  shalt  not  be  purged  from  thy 
nlthiness  any  more,  till  I  have  caused  my  fury  to  rest 
upon  thee.'  Ezek.  24 : 13.  I  considered  this  the  seal 
of  my  doom,  and  I  have  now  nothing  but  a  fearful 
looking  for  of  judgment.77  Truly  has  Solomon  said, 
"  The  backslider  in  heart  shall  be  filled  with  his  own 
ways.77  Prov.  14 : 14. 

It  is  said  that  when  he  had  finished  the  prepara 
tion  of  a  discourse,  and  while  his  heart  was  still  glow- 


200  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

ing  with  the  thoughts  which  the  sermon  embodied,  it 
was  his  custom  to  throw  some  of  these  thoughts  into 
a  metrical  form.  The  stanzas  thus  prepared  were 
sung  at  the  close  of  the  service,  and  answered  a  two 
fold  purpose — that  of  devotion,  and  of  aid  to  the 
remembrance  of  the  sermon :  thus,  having  preached  on 
"  The  rest  that  remaineth  for  the  people  of  God,"  it 
was  followed  by  the  now  well-known  hymn, 

"  Thine  earthly  Sabbaths,  Lord,  we  love ; 
But  there 's  a  nobler  rest  above : 
To  that  our  laboring  souls  aspire, 
With  ardent  pangs  of  strong  desire,  etc." 

So  a  sermon  on  1  Peter  2:7,  was  epitomized  in  the 
hymn  commencing  with  the  stanza, 

"  Jesus,  I  love  thy  charming  name ; 

'T  is  music  to  mine  ear : 
Fain  would  I  sound  it  out  so  loud, 
That  earth  and  heaven  should  hear." 

It  has  been  beautifully  remarked,  "  If  amber  is  the 
gum  of  fossil  trees  fetched  up  and  floated  off  by  the 
ocean,  hymns  like  these  are  a  spiritual  amber.  Most 
of  the  sermons  to  which  they 'originally  pertained 
have  disappeared  for  ever,  but  at  once  beautiful  and 
buoyant,  these  sacred  strains  are  destined  to  carry 
the  devout  emotions  of  Doddridge  to  every  shore 
where  his  Master  is  loved,  and  where  his  mother- 
tongue  is  spoken." 

Besides  the  labors  on  the  Sabbath  already  de 
scribed,  and  a  preparatory  lecture  before  the  sacra 
ment,  which  was  administered  once  a  month,  he  con 
ducted,  every  Friday  evening,  a  religious  exercise,  at 
which  he  delivered  a  course  of  expository  lectures  on 


>   OF  THE 

rT!  STIVER  SI 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHASjmW^Jj          201 

the  Psalms;  afterwards  upon  the  Messianic  prophe 
cies  of  the  Old  Testament,  followed  by  discourses  on 
the  promises  of  the  Scriptures.  Sometimes,  by  request 
of  friends,  he  repeated  on  these  occasions  sermons  that 
he  had  preached  on  the  Sabbath.  For  several  winters 
he  preached  a  Thursday  evening  lecture  in  another 
portion  of  the  town,  at  which  he  delivered  a  course 
of  sermons  on  the  parables  of  Christ,  and  another  on 
the  nature,  offices,  and  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
As  his  congregation  was  scattered  in  their  residences 
among  the  neighboring  villages,  he  occasionally 
preached  in  each  of  those  villages,  making  his  visits 
at  the  usual  festivals,  or  similar  occasions,  because 
the  people  had  leisure  to  attend  the  religious  ser 
vices,  and  at  the  same  time  especially  stood  in  need 
of  such  religious  services  to  counteract  surrounding 
temptations.  At  these  times  also  he  took  occasion  to 
visit  aged  and  infirm  persons  who  were  seldom  able 
to  attend  his  regular  services  in  town.  When  death 
occurred  to  any  such,  he  preached  their  funeral-ser 
mons  in  the  villages  where  they  had  resided,  in  the 
hope  of  conferring  saving  benefits  thereby  upon  sur 
viving  neighbors  and  acquaintances. 

A  pleasant  picture  of  the  sacramental  seasons  just 
adverted  to  is  given  »by  Mr.  Stoughton,  who  says, 
"  On  Sunday  evening  did  the  good  people  of  Castle 
Hill,  in  those  times,  show  forth  their  Lord's  death, 
availing  themselves  of  moonlight  nights,  for  the  con 
venience  of  such  as  lived  in  the  adjacent  villages. 
One  can  picture  them,  their  minds  filled  with  the 
holy  things  their  much-loved  doctor  had  been  saying, 
wending  their  way  in  rustic  conveyances,  or  trudgings 

9* 


202  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

on  foot  through  Northampton's  silent  streets,  and  the 
still  more  silent  roads,  looking  up  to  the  pale  blue 
ocean  sky,  and  the  moon  floating  there  with  her  silver 
sails,  and  her  train  of  starry  barks ;  musing,  perhaps, 
on  the  beautiful  hymn  in  which  their  pastor  has  em 
balmed  the  spirit  of  his  discourse  on  '  God  the  ever 
lasting  Light  of  the  Saints  above :' 

"Ye  golden  lamps  of  heaven,  farewell, 

With  all  your  feeble  light: 
Farewell,  thou  ever-changing  moon, 
Pale  empress  of  the  night. 

"  Ye  stars  are  but  the  shining  dust 

Of  my  divine  abode, 
The  pavement  of  those  lovely  courts 
Where  I  shall  reign  with  God. 

"  The  Father  of  eternal  light 

Shall  there  his  beams  display : 
Nor  shall  one  moment's  darkness  mix 
With  that  unvaried  day. 

"Where  all  the  millions  of  his  saints 

Shall  in  one  song  unite, 
And  each  the  bliss  of  all  shall  view, 
With  infinite  delight." 

The  feelings  manifested  by  Dr.  Doddridge  in  the 
discharge  of  his  public  duties  were  often  so  great  as 
to  have  a  considerable  effect*  on  his  bodily  frame. 
Speaking  of  his  administration  of  the  Lord's  supper, 
on  January  2,  1743,  he  writes  in  his  diary,  "  When 
I  came  to  break  the  bread,  I  was  taken  exceedingly 
ill,  and  rendered,  by  faintness  and  a  pain  in  my  stom 
ach,  in  a  great  measure  unfit  to  proceed.  Indeed,  I 
was  not  without  some  thoughts  that  I  might  have 
taken  my  flight  from  the  table  of  Christ  upon  earth 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  203 

to  his  presence  above.  Cold  clammy  sweats  were 
upon  me;  but  if,  as  some  said,  a  mortal  paleness 
seemed  fixed  upon  my  cheek,  I  hope  I  can  say  that 
glory  was  in  my  soul.  I  revived  a  little,  and  felt  an 
unutterable  sweetness  in  singing  the  hymn  on  the 
word  of  good  old  Simeon,  as  rendered  by  dear  Dr. 
Watts ;  and  I  must  say,  that  all  the  pleasure  which  I 
might  have  had,  in  a  better  state  of  health  and  spirits, 
in  the  after-part  of  the  ordinance,  was  far  overbal 
anced  by  the  unutterable  delight  which  I  enjoyed  in 
consequence  of  being  so  interrupted.  I  cannot  but 
think  that  it  was  in  some  measure  owing  to  the  great 
fervor  of  my  spirit  in  the  former  duties  of  the  day, 
that  this  failure  now  happened,  and  I  humbly  hope 
that  I  may  say  I  was  in  some  degree  consumed  with 
the  love  of  God.  Gracious  Lord,  I  thank  thee  for 
the  visitation,  and  for  the  support  under  it.  I  thank 
thee  that  I  am  thine,  in  life  or  in  death.  And  I  hum 
bly  renew  the  solemn  dedication  of  myself  unto  thee, 
as  in  a  holy  tranquillity  of  soul,  and  undissembled 
readiness  to  be  disposed  of  as  thou  pleasest  in  this 
world,  or  in  a  better." 

His  preaching  was  highly  popular  and  greatly 
esteemed.  He  had  peculiar  earnestness  of  manner, 
the  result  evidently  of  the  deep  impression  which  di 
vine  truth  produced  on  his  own  mind  and  heart,  and 
consequently  he  found  it  not  difficult  to  arrest  and  to 
hold  serious  attention,  and  thus  to  produce  strong 
impressions  of  the  truth  upon  the  hearts  of  his  hear 
ers.  His  style  of  elocution  and  of  action  was  by  some 
judged  to  be  too  vehement;  but,  suiting  as  it  did 
his  vivacity  of  temper  and  ordinary  style  of  conversa- 


204  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

tion,  it  was  in  him  perfectly  natural,  and  of  course 
impressive. 

The  power  of  Doddridge  as  a  preacher  is  satisfac 
torily  accounted  for  in  the  article  from  the  North 
British  Review  to  which  we  have  before  referred. 
Besides  other  things  illustrative  of  this  point,  it  pro 
ceeds  to  say,  "  Much  of  the  strength  of  Doddridge 
was  his  personal  holiness.  During  the  twenty  years 
of  his  Northampton  ministry,  it  was  his  endeavor  to 
'  walk  with  God.'  And  it  is  a  spectacle  at  once  hum 
bling  and  animating  to  mark  his  progress,  and  to  see 
how  that  divinely  planted  principle,  which  once  strug 
gled  so  feebly  with  frivolity  and  self-indulgence  and 
the  love  of  praise,  had  grown  into  '  a  mighty  tree.7 
Nor  were  his  immediate  hearers  unaware  of  his  per 
sonal  piety  and  his  heavenly-nrindedness.  They  knew 
how  unselfish  and  disinterested  he  was ;  how  the  hus 
band  of  an  heiress,  to  whom  he  had  been  guardian, 
made  him  a  handsome  present  as  an  acknowledgment 
for  losses  sustained  by  an  over-scrupulous  administra 
tion  of  her  property ;  and  how  all  the  influence  which 
he  possessed  with  noble  and  powerful  personages  was 
exerted  only  on  behalf  of  others.  They  knew  his 
pious  industry,  and  how  the  hardest  worker  and  the 
earliest  riser  in  all  their  town  was  the  great  doctor 
whom  so  many  strangers  came  to  see  and  hear.  They 
knew  his  zeal  for  God,  and  how  dear  to  him  was 
every  project  which  promised  to  spread  His  glory  in 
the  earth ;  and  how  damping  every  incident  by  which 
he  saw  God's  name  dishonored.  And  in  listening  to 
him  they  all  felt  that  he  was  a  man  of  God.  And  his 
readers  feel  the  same.  They  are  constantly  encouri- 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  205 

tering  thoughts  which  they  know  instinctively  could 
only  have  been  fetched  up  from  the  depths  of  personal 
sanctity.  The  very  texts  which  he  quotes  are  evi 
dently  steeped  in  his  own  experience ;  and  unlike  the 
second-hand  truisms,  the  dried  rose-leaves,  with  which 
so  many  are  content,  his  thoughts  have  a  dew  still  on 
them,  like  flowers  fresh  gathered  in  fields  of  holy  med 
itation.  Even  beyond  his  pathos  there  is  something 
subduing  in  his  goodness. 

"  Yet  we  would  not  tell  our  entire  belief  unless  we 
added  the  power  of  prayer.  Some  may  remember  the 
prayer  at  the  commencement  of  the  Rise  and  Progress. 
'  Impute  it  not,  0  God,  as  a  culpable  ambition,  if  I 
desire  that  this  work  may  be  completed  and  propa 
gated  far  abroad ;  that  it  may  reach  to  those  that  are 
yet  unborn,  and  teach  them  thy  name  and  thy  praise, 
when  the  author  has  long  dwelt  in  the  dust.  But  if 
this  petition  be  too  great  to  be  granted  to  one  who 
pretends  no  claim  but  thy  sovereign  grace,  give  him 
to  be,  in  thy  almighty  hand,  the  blessed  instrument 
of  converting  and  saving  one  soul ;  and  if  it  be  but 
one,  and  that  the  weakest  and  meanest,  it  shall  be 
most  thankfully  accepted  as  a  rich  recompense  for  all 
the  thought  and  labor  this  effort  may  cost.7  And  his 
secret  supplications  were  in  unison  with  this  printed 
prayer.  Besides  other  seasons  of  devotion,  the  first 
Monday  of  every  month  was  spent  in  that  '  solitary 
place/  his  vestry;  and,  deducting  the  time  employed 
in  reviewing  the  past  month,  and  laying  plans  for  the 
new  one,  these  seasons  were  spent  in  prayer  and  in 
communion  with  God.  And  none  the  less,  for  the 
accessory  reasons  already  mentioned,  is  it  our  per- 


206  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

suasion  that  the  success  of  his  ministry,  and  the  sin 
gular  good  accomplished  by  his  writings,  are  an 
answer  to  these  prayers.  The  piety  of  Doddridge 
was  as  devout  as  it  was  benevolent ;  and  to  his  power 
with  God  he  owed  no  small  measure  of  his  power 
with  men." 

A  letter  of  Mrs.  Doddridge  to  the  Rev.  Samuel 
Clarke,  in  1754,  after  the  death  of  her  husband,  fur 
nishes  an  instructive  sketch  of  the  spirit  and  manner 
of  his  excellent  ministrations : 

"  Nor  does  it  give  me  less  joy  to  hear  you  speak 
so  highly  of  experimental  preaching.  It  was  often 
said  by  the  ever  dear  deceased,  that  one  sermon 
preached  to  the  heart  was  worth  ten  to  the  under 
standing.  I  think  you  will  with  pleasure  read  those 
sermons  of  my  dear  Mr.  Doddridge  which  I  am  now 
getting  transcribed.  He  formed  his  first  plan  of 
preaching,  as  I  have  often  heard  him  with  delight 
express,  on  this  principle;  and  I  cannot  but  think, 
considering  the  variety  of  subjects  upon  which  they 
treat,  as  well  as  exhibiting  a  specimen  of  his  general 
manner  of  preaching,  many  of  them  would  be  very 
acceptable  to  the  public,  and  possibly  would  be  more 
useful  than  those  which  have  been  so  long  published. 
I  was  glad  I  had  the  power  of  putting  the  transcript 
of  one  sermon  into  your  hands.  It  was  the  first  ser 
mon  my  ever  dear  Mr.  Doddridge  preached  after  his 
recovery  from  that  violent  fever  in  1745,  in  which  no 
person  expected  his  life — the  title, '  Paul  given  back  to 
the  Church  in  answer  to  the  Prayers  of  his  Christian 
Friends.'  A  second  Paul  was  given  back,  and  I  must 
esteem  it  a  great  mercy,  as  I  know  not  how  his  place 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  207 

could  have  been  supplied.  You  see  almost  in  every 
page  the  heart  of  the  dear  author ;  and  mine  can  ac 
company  him,  and  add  many  others  from  the  recol 
lection  of  many  things  which  my  eyes  saw  and  ears 
heard,  who  was  so  often  a  witness  to  his  lively  faith 
and  zeal  for  the  glory  of  his  God  and  the  salvation  of 
souls,  particularly  those  in  a  more  immediate  manner 
committed  to  his  charge,  taking  every  opportunity  in 
season  and  out  of  season,  making  use  of  every  occur 
rence,  whether  of  a  public  or  private  nature,  to  lead 
on  their  meditation  from  one  Sabbath  to  another,  and 
endeavoring  to  lead  on  their  minds  to  the  grand  con 
cerns  of  their  own  salvation :  you  will  here  find  the 
kindness  of  his  heart,  and  the  overflowing  benevo 
lence,  which  did  not  stop  here,  but  ran  more  or  less 
through  all  his  conduct  towards  them,  enforcing  his 
sermons  by  a  suitable  life  and  conversation." 

Dr.  Doddridge  deserves  honorable  mention  for 
his  faithfulness  in  the  exercise  of  Christian  discipline, 
by  which  he  separated  from  the  church  all  such  as 
brought  by  their  conduct  a  reproach  on  their  profes 
sion,  and  hindered  thereby  the  success  of  the  gospel. 
"When  piety  languished  among  his  people,  and  conver 
sions  were  rare,  he  zealously  endeavored,  by  more 
earnest  preaching  and  more  fervent  supplications,  and 
by  the  appointment  of  days  of  fasting  and  of  special 
prayer  for  the  effusion  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  secure 
the  gracious  presence  of  God  and  an  ingathering  of 
souls  into  the  Redeemer's  kingdom. 

The  pastorate  of  Dr.  Doddridge  was  adorned  and 
honored  by  his  special  care  for  the  children  and  youth 
of  his  numerous  charge.  He  delivered  to  them  par- 


208  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

ticularly  an  annual  sermon ;  and  often  an  appropriate 
sermon  in  the  course  of  the  year.  He  published  a 
course  of  sermons  on  the  education  of  children,  and 
in  his  conversation  sought  their  confidence  and  their 
early  conversion  to  Christ.  He  deplored  the  general 
neglect  of  the  catechism  on  the  part  of  pastors  and 
of  parents,  and  to  this  neglect  attributed  in  some  de 
gree  the  irregularities  and  the  irreligious  connections 
formed  among  the  young.  Accordingly,  he  regarded 
it  as  the  most  important  duty  devolving  upon  him  as  a 
pastor,  to  make  the  children  and  youth  well  versed  in 
the  catechism,  attending  to  this  work  every  summer, 
during  the  whole  course  of  his  ministry,  although  his 
other  engagements  were  so  peculiarly  numerous  and 
oppressive.  While  yet  a  young  minister,  he  formed 
the  excellent  resolution,  worthy  of  universal  adoption 
by  such,  "  I  will  often  make  it  my  humble  prayer,  that 
God  would  teach  me  to  speak  to  children  in  such  a 
manner  as  may  make  early  impressions  of  religion  on 
their  hearts." 

His  pious  efforts  in  this  direction  are  said  to  have 
been  signally  rewarded  with  success.  Several  of  the 
catechumens,  dying  in  childhood,  exhibited  such  clear 
and  discriminating  views  of  truth,  and  such  scriptural 
hopes  of  entering  into  the  heavenly  rest,  as  afforded 
unspeakable  consolation  to  bereaved  parents  and  other 
friends.  He  established  and  encouraged  social  pray 
er-meetings  among  the  young,  and  formed  religious 
associations  embracing  various  classes  of  persons, 
who  met  once  a  week  for  reading,  religious  discourse, 
and  prayer ;  and  also  entered  into  an  arrangement  to 
exercise  over  each  other  a  vigilant  care,  and  promote 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  209 

each  other's  progress  in  the  Christian  life.  These 
associations  were  composed  severally  of  persons  of 
different  ages.  There  was  one  of  young  men  alone, 
with  which  some  of  his  own  students  were  connected, 
to  whom  he  proposed  weekly  some  practical  question, 
an  answer  to  which  was  returned  the  following  week 
in  writing.  These  communications  he  examined,  com 
bined,  enlarged  upon,  and  delivered  on  Friday  even 
ing,  instead  of  the  lecture  or  exposition  to  which  we 
have  already  referred.  He  devoted  special  effort  to 
persuade  young  persons  giving  evidence  of  piety  to 
enter  into  communion  with  the  church,  and  to  obviate 
the  objections  which  they  might  urge  against  such  a 
measure.  His  views  on  this  subject  may  be  found  in 
a  sermon  which  he  published  under  the  title  of  "  Re 
ligious  Youth  invited  to  Early  Communion." 

Dr.  Doddridge  not  only  exercised  his  holy  inge 
nuity  in  devising  plans  of  usefulness  among  his  own 
people,  but  borrowed  them  from  others.  Writing  in 
February,  1741,  to  his  friend  Dr.  Clarke  of  St.  Al- 
bans,  he  says,  "  The  wise  arid  good  hint  you  were 
pleased  to  give  me,  as  to  erecting  little  devotional 
societies  among  the  young  people,  has,  I  bless  God, 
been  of  singular  use  among  us,  and  has,  I  hope,  al 
ready  been  in  some  measure  effectual  for  the  revival 
of  religion  here.  •  For  their  sakes  I  preached  two  ser 
mons  the  other  day  from  Malachi  3  :17,  18;  and  may 
it,  through  the  divine  blessing,  be  a  means  of  strength 
ening  their  hands  in  God." 

If,  however,  this  excellent  man  could  borrow  the 
germ  or  mustard-seed  of  his  plans  from  his  brethren, 
his  talents  and  Christian  zeal  could  cause  them  abun- 


210  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

dantiy  to  grow,  so  as  to  bless  many  other  congrega 
tions  as  well  as  his  own.  In  October  of  this  year  he 
preached  at  a  meeting  of  his  neighboring  brethren, 
held  at  Kettering,  a  most  impressive  sermon  from 
Prov.  24: 11,  12,  on  "  the  evil  and  danger  of  neglect 
ing  men's  souls ;"  and  after  the  sermon,  in  a  solemn 
conference,  the  whole  subject  was  seriously  consider 
ed.  In  giving  an  account  of  this  meeting  to  some  of 
his  ministering  brethren  in  the  counties  of  Norfolk 
and  Suffolk,  an  interview  with  whom  we  have  already 
referred  to,  he  thus  writes : 

"It  seemed  most  agreeable  to  the  deference  due 
to  the  reverend  assembly,  to  propose  the  scheme  in 
the  form  of  queries;  on  which  the  following  resolu 
tions  were  formed,  nemine  contradicente : 

"  1.  That  it  may  tend  to  the  advancement  of  relig 
ion,  that  the  ministers  of  this  association,  if  they  have 
not  very  lately  done  it,  should  agree  to  preach  one 
Lord's  day  on  family  religion,  and  another  on  secret 
prayer ;  and  that  the  time  should  be  fixed,  in  humble 
hope  that  concurrent  labors,  connected  with  concur 
rent  petitions  to  the  throne  of  grace,  might  produce 
some  happy  effect. 

"  2.  That  it  is  proper  that  pastoral  visiting  should 
be  more  solemnly  attended  to,  and  that  greater  care 
should  be  taken  in  personal  inspection  than  has  gen 
erally  been  used.  And  that  it  may  conduce  to  this 
good  end,  that  each  minister  should  take  an  exact 
survey  of  his  flock,  and  note  down  the  names  of  the 
heads  of  families,  the  children,  the  servants,  and  other 
single  persons  in  his  auditory,  in  order  to  keep  proper 
memorandums  concerning  each;  that  he  may  judge  the 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  211 

better  of  the  particulars  of  his  duty  with  regard  to 
every  one ;  and  may  observe  how  his  visits,  exhorta 
tions,  and  admonitions  correspond  to  their  respective 
characters  and  circumstances. 

"  3.  That  consequent  on  this  survey  it  will  be 
proper  as  soon  as  possible,  and  henceforward  at  least 
once  a  year,  to  visit,  if  it  be  practicable,  every  head 
of  a  family  under  our  ministerial  care,  with  a  solemn 
charge  to  attend  to  the  business  of  religion  in  their 
hearts  and  houses,  watching  over  their  domestics  in 
the  fear  of  the  Lord,  we  at  the  same  time  professing 
our  readiness  to  give  them  all  proper  assistances  for 
this  purpose. 

"  4.  That  it  will  be  highly  expedient  immediately, 
or  as  soon  as  may  be,  to  set  up  the  work  of  catechiz 
ing  in  one  form  or  another,  and  to  keep  to  it  statedly 
for  one  half  of  the  year  at  least ;  and  that  it  is  proba 
ble  future  counsels  may  ripen  some  scheme  for  carry 
ing  on  this  work  in  a  manner  which  may  tend  greatly 
to  the  propagation  of  real,  vital,  catholic  Christianity 
in  the  rising  generation. 

"5.  That  there  is  reason  to  apprehend  there  are 
in  all  our  congregations  some  pious  and  valuable  per 
sons  who  live  in  a  culpable  neglect  of  the  Lord's  sup 
per;  and  that  it  is  our  duty  particularly  to  inform 
ourselves  who  they  are,  and  to  endeavor,  by  our  pray 
ers  to  God,  and  our  serious  address  to  them,  to  intro 
duce  them  into  communion;  cautiously  guarding 
against  any  thing  in  the  methods  of  admission  which 
may  justly  discourage  sincere  Christians  of  a  tender 
and  timorous  temper. 

"  6.  That  it  is  to  be  feared  there  are  some,  in  sev- 


212  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

eral  of  our  communions  at  least,  who  behave  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  give  just  offence ;  and  that  we  may  be  in 
great  danger  of  making  ourselves  partakers  of  other 
men's  sins,  if  we  do  not  animadvert  upon  them ;  and 
that  if  they  will  not  reform,  or  if  the  crime  be  noto 
rious,  we  ought,  in  duty  to  God,  and  to  them,  and  to 
all  around  us,  solemnly  to  cut  them  off  from  our  sacra 
mental  communion  as  a  reproach  to  the  church  of 
Christ. 

"  7.  That  it  may,  on  many  accounts,  be  proper  to 
advise  our  people  to  enter  into  little  bands  or  soci 
eties  for  religious  discourse  and  prayer,  each  consist 
ing  of  six  or  eight,  to  meet  for  these  good  purposes 
once  in  a  week,  or  a  fortnight,  as  may  best  suit  their 
other  engagements  and  affairs. 

"  8.  That  it  might  be  advisable,  if  it  can  be  done, 
to  select  out  of  each  congregation  under  our  care  a 
small  number  of  persons  remarkable  for  experience, 
prudence,  seriousness,  humility,  and  zeal,  to  act  as  a 
stated  council  for  promoting  religion  in  the  said  soci 
ety  ;  and  that  it  would  be  proper  they  should  have 
some  certain  times  of  meeting  with  each  other,  and 
with  the  minister,  to  join  their  counsels  and  their 
prayers  for  the  public  good. 

"  9.  That  so  far  as  we  can  judge,  it  might  by  the 
Divine  blessing  conduce  to  the  advancement  of  these 
valuable  ends,  that  neighboring  ministers  in  one  part 
of  our  land  and  another,  especially  in  this  county, 
should  enter  into  associations  to  strengthen  the  hands 
of  each  other  by  united  consultation  and  prayer ;  and 
that  meetings  of  ministers  might,  by  some  obvious 
regulations,  be  made  more  extensively  useful  than 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  213 

they  often  are ;  in  which  view  it  was  further  proposed, 
with  unanimous  approbation,  that  these  meetings 
should  be  held  at  certain  periodical  times ;  that  each 
member  of  the  association  should  endeavor,  if  possi 
ble,  to  be  present,  studying  to  order  his  affairs  so  as 
to  guard  against  unnecessary  hinderances ;  that  public 
worship  should  begin  and  end  sooner  than  it  com 
monly  has  done  on  these  occasions ;  that  each  pastor 
preach  at  these  assemblies  in  his  turn ;  that  the  min 
ister  of  the  place  determine  who  shall  be  employed  in 
prayer ;  that  after  a  moderate  repast,  to  be  managed 
with  as  little  trouble  and  expense  as  may  be,  an  hour 
or  two  in  the  afternoon  be  spent  in  religious  confer 
ence  and  prayer,  and  in  taking  into  consideration, 
merely  in  friendly  counsel,  and  without  the  least  pre 
tence  to  any  right  of  authoritative  decision,  the  con 
cerns  of  any  brother,  or  any  society,  which  may  be 
brought  before  us  for  our  advice;  and  finally,  that 
every  member  of  this  association  shall  consider  it  as 
an  additional  obligation  upon  him  to  endeavor  to  be, 
as  far  as  he  justly  and  honorably  can,  a  friend  and 
guardian  to  the  reputation,  comfort,  and  usefulness  of 
all  his  brethren  in  the  Christian  ministry,  near  or 
remote,  of  whatever  party  and  denomination. 

"  10.  That  it  may  be  proper  to  enter  into  some 
further  measures  to  regulate  the  admission  of  young 
persons  into  the  ministry.  The  particulars  here  were 
referred  to  further  consideration ;  but  so  far  as  I  can 
judge,  the  plan  proposed  will  be  pretty  nearly  this: 
that  if  any  student  within  the  compass  of  this  associa 
tion  desires  to  be  admitted  as  a  preacher,  he  apply  to 
the  ministers  at  one  of  their  periodical  meetings,  when, 


PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

if  they  be  in  the  general  satisfied  that  he  is  a  person 
of  a  fair  character,  in  sacramenfal  communion  with  a 
Christian  society,  and  one  who  has  gone  through  a 
regular  course  of  preparatory  studies,  they  will  ap 
point  three  of  their  number  to  examine  more  particu 
larly  into  his  acquaintance  with  and  sense  of  the  great 
doctrines  of  Christianity  as  delivered  in  the  Scripture, 
and  into  the  progress  he  has  made  in  literature,  the 
views  with  which  he  professes  to  undertake  the  minis 
try,  and  in  general  his  aptness  to  teach ;  in  order  to 
judging  of  which,  it  may  be  proper  that  a  theological 
thesis  be  exhibited  in  Latin,  and  a  popular  sermon, 
composed  by  the  candidate,  be  submitted  to  the  peru 
sal  of  the  examiners ;  that  if  they  in  their  conscience 
believe  that  he  is  fit  to  be  employed  in  the  Christian 
ministry,  they  may  give  him  a  certificate  of  that 
approbation,  which  he  may  be  desired  to  produce  at 
the  next  general  meeting,  that  his  testimonial  may  be 
signed  by  all  the  associated  ministers  present,  and  he 
be  solemnly  recommended  to  God  by  prayer. 

"  Thus,  gentlemen,  you  have  a  view  of  the  scheme 
as  it  now  lies  before  us,  except  the  last,  not  yet  con 
sidered  among  us,  which  was  approved  at  Kettering, 
at  the  time  above-mentioned.  I  will  take  leave  to 
add  one  particular  more,  which  has  since  occurred  to 
my  thoughts,  and  which  I  here  submit  to  your  con 
sideration,  and  to  that  of  my  other  reverend  brethren 
into  whose  hands  this  may  fall,  especially  those  of 
our  .own  association. 

"11.  Query,  whether  something  might  not  be  done 
in  most  of  our  congregations  towards  assisting  in  the 
propagation  of  Christianity  abroad,  and  spreading  it 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  215 

in  some  of  the  darker  parts  of  our  own  land.  In 
pursuance  of  which,  it  is  further  proposed  that  we 
endeavor  to  engage  as  many  pious  people  of  our  re 
spective  congregations  as  we  can  to  enter  themselves 
into  a  society,  in  which  the  members  may  engage 
themselves  to  some  peculiar  cares,  assemblies,  and 
contributions,  with  a  regard  to  this  great  end." 

The  ardent  spirit  of  Doddridge  was  diffused,  as 
we  have  already  seen,  among  his  congregation,  and 
under  his  instructions  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  of 
them  met  and  formed  a  society  in  conformity  with  the 
proposals  we  have  already  given,  the  rules  of  which 
may  suggest,  even  now,  lessons  worthy  of  being  well 
considered. 

"  We,  whose  names  are  subscribed,  being  moved 
as  we  hope  and  trust  by  a  real  concern  for  the  propa 
gation  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  in  the  world,  have 
determined  to  form  ourselves  into  a  society  for  that 
end  on  the  following  terms : 

"  1.  That  we  propose,  as  God  shall  enable  us,  to 
be  daily  putting  up  some  earnest  petitions  to  the 
throne  of  grace  for  the  advancement  of  the  gospel  in 
the  world,  and  for  the  success  of  all  the  faithful  ser 
vants  of  Christ  who  are  engaged  in  the  work  of  it, 
especially  among  the  heathen  nations. 

"2.  That  we  will  assemble,  at  least  four  times  a 
year,  in  our  places  of  public  worship,  at  such  seasons 
as  shall  by  mutual  consent  be  appointed,  to  spend 
some  time  in  solemn  prayer  together  on  this  impor 
tant  account;  and  we  hereby  engage  that  we  will, 
each  of  us,  if  we  conveniently  can,  attend  at  such 


216  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

meetings,  unless  such  circumstances  happen  as  to  lead 
us  in  our  own  consciences  to  conclude  that  it  will  be 
more  acceptable  in  the  sight  of  God  that  we  should 
be  employed  in  some  other  business  elsewhere. 

"3.  We  do  hereby  express  our  desire  that  some 
time  may  then  be  spent,  if  God  give  an  opportunity, 
in  reviewing  those  promises  of  Scripture  which  relate 
to  the  establishment  of  our  Redeemer's  kingdom  in 
the  world,  that  our  faith  may  be  supported,  and  our 
prayers  quickened  by  the  contemplation  of  them. 

"  4.  It  is  also  our  desire  that  whatever  important 
information  relating  to  the  progress  of  the  gospel  be 
received  from  the  various  parts  of  this  kingdom,  or 
from  foreign  lands,  by  any  members  of  the  society, 
may  be  communicated  to  us  at  our  general  quarterly 
meetings,  and  the  rest  of  us  make  our  request  to  our 
minister,  that  he  will,  where  he  can  with  convenience 
do  it,  keep  up  such  correspondence,  that  we  may  be 
more  capable  of  judging  how  far  God  answers  our 
prayers,  and  those  of  his  other  servants,  in  this  regard. 

"  5.  We  further  engage,  that  on  these  days  of 
general  meeting  every  one  of  us  will,  as  God  shall  be 
pleased  to  prosper  us,  contribute  something,  be  it 
ever  so  little,  towards  carrying  on  this  pious  design, 
which  shall  be  lodged  in  the  hands  of  a  treasurer,  to 
be  chosen  at  the  first  meeting,  to  be  disposed  of  by 
him  and  four  other  trustees,  then  also  to  be  appoint 
ed  in  such  manner  as  they  shall  judge  most  conven 
ient,  towards  supporting  the  expense  of  sending  mis 
sionaries  abroad,  printing  Bibles  or  other  useful 
books  in  foreign  languages,  establishing  schools  for 
the  instruction  of  the  ignorant,  and  the  like. 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  21t 

u  6.  That  the  pastor  for  the  time  being,  if  one  of 
the  society,  be  always  one  of  those  trustees,  and  that 
four  more  be  annually  nominated  by  the  society  at 
the  first  meeting  after  New-year's-day,  with  the  power 
of  choosing  their  treasurer  out  of  their  own  number ; 
and  that  the  accounts  of  the  former  year  be  then  laid 
before  the  society,  or  before  a  committee  appointed  to 
examine  them. 

"7.  That  members,  after  the  first  meeting,  be  ad 
mitted  by  the  consent  of  the  majority  of  the  society 
present  at  some  stated  meeting ;  and  that  if  any  mem 
ber  think  it  proper  to  withdraw,  he  signify  that  pur 
pose  to  the  society,  or  to  one  of  the  trustees. 

"  8.  That  brief  minutes  be  taken  at  every  meeting 
of  the  business  dispatched,  the  persons  admitted,  the 
contributions  made  at  it,  etc. 

"  To  these  rules  we  subscribe  our  hands,  heartily 
praying  that  God  may  quicken  us,  and  many  others 
by  our  means,  to  greater  zeal  in  this,  and  in  every 
good  word  and  work ;  and  that  joining  in  spirit  with 
all  those  who  in  one  place  or  another  are  devoting 
their  lives  to  the  advancement  of  the  gospel,  we  may 
another  day  partake  of  their  joy." 

It  is  believed  that  the  proceeds  of  this  society 
were  appropriated  to  the  education  and  support  of 
two  missionary  students  to  labor  among  the  Indians 
of  North  America. 

Nor  was  the  missionary  spirit  of  Dr.  Doddridge 
confined  to  his  own  denomination.  We  have  before 
us  a  correspondence  with  the  Eev.  B.  Ingham,  then 
connected  with  those  ardent  friends  of  Christian  mis- 

Doddridge.  10 


218  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

sions,  the  Moravian  brethren.  Two  short  passages 
will  interest  the  reader.  Mr.  Ingham  writes  from 
London  to  Dr.  Doddridge,  under  date  of  August  6, 
1741.,  "  I  am  to  inform  you  that  you  are  chosen  to  be 
a  corresponding  member  of  the  Society  for  the  Fur 
therance  of  the  Gospel.  Before  you  expressed  your 
desire  to  me  I  had  already  proposed  you  to  the  com 
mittee,  who  all  approved  of  you ;  and  after  the  meet 
ing  was  over,  when  I  mentioned  you  to  the  society, 
they  all  unanimously  chose  you  without  ballotting; 
so  that  when  you  are  in  London,  you  will  not  only 
have  the  liberty  to  hear  the  letters  read,  but  also  to 
meet  the  members  about  business,  and  further  to  be  in 
the  committee.  The  brethren  will  be  glad  to  hear 
from  you  as  often  as  you  please,  and  they  from  time 
to  time  will  send  you  some  accounts  of  the  transac 
tions  of  the  society." 

The  doctor  immediately  replied  from  Northamp 
ton,  "  I  am  thankful  to  the  Society  for  the  Further 
ance  of  the  Gospel  for  their  readiness  to  admit  so 
unworthy  a  member,  and  hope,  as  the  Lord  shall 
enable  me,  to  approve  myself  cordially  affectionate, 
though  incapable  of  giving  much  assistance. 

"I  did  this  day  in  our  church  meeting  publicly 
report  some  important  facts  received  from  brother 
Hutton,  and  others,  as  to  the  success  of  our  dear 
Moravian  brethren,  and  their  associates.  We  re 
joiced  in  the  Lord  at  the  joyful  tidings,  and  joined  in 
recommending  them  to  the  grace  of  God.  I  hope 
Providence  will  enable  me  to  be  a  little  serviceable 
to  this  good  design.  I  shall  gladly  continue  to  cor 
respond  with  the  society,  and  gladly  hope  to  have 


MINISTRY^AT  NORTHAMPTON.  219 

some  good  news  from  these  parts  ere  long.  In  the 
mean  time  I  humbly  commend  myself  to  your  prayers 
and  theirs." 

In  a  postscript  the  doctor  says,  "  I  have  looked 
over  several  of  the  letters  with  great  pleasure,  and 
heartily  thank  you  for  sending  them.  Glory  be  to 
Him  who  causes  his  gospel  to  triumph,  and  magnifies 
the  riches  of  his  grace  in  getting  himself  the  victory 
by  soldiers  who  out  of  weakness  are  made  strong. 
If  Christ  raise  to  himself  a  seed  among  negroes  and 
Hottentots,  I  will  honor  them  beyond  all  the  politest 
nations  upon  earth  that  obey  not  his  glorious  gospel." 

On  the  18th  of  November  following,  Doddridge 
thus  addressed  Count  Zinzendorf.  "  I  am  now  project 
ing  a  society  for  the  propagation  of  the  gospel  in  for 
eign  parts,  which  is  a  scheme  and  interest  which  lie 
very  near  my  heart.  All  I  can  propose  is,  to  get  a 
few  serious  Christians  to  meet  at  certain  times  to 
pray  for  the  success  of  those  who  are  gone  to  carry  it 
abroad;  and  to  spend  some  time  in  discoursing  on 
the  chief  promises  which  encourage  our  faith  in  that 
blessed  event. 

"  I  hope  God  will  incline  us  at  such  times  to  con 
tribute  something  towards  succoring  the  dear  mis 
sionaries  ;  which,  if  it  happen,  you  will  be  sure  to  hear 
of  us.  I  shall  also  continue  to  communicate  to  this 
society,  when  formed,  the  letters  and  papers  I  receive 
from  you,  and  I  hope  God  will  quicken  us  by  this 
means  to  unite  ourselves  more  in  spirit  with  you,  and 
those  who  are  enlisted  in  the  army  of  our  glorified, 
though  once  crucified  Leader,  'whom  having  not 
seen  we  love.'  Oh,  may  our  hearts  be  filled  with 


220  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

overflowing  love  to  Him,  and  ardent  zeal  for  his  ser 
vice.  I  would  every  hour  remember  the  symbolum 
of  our  dear  ama  Christum.  May  you,  dear  sir,  your 
dear  and  pious  consort,  and  all  my  brethren  and  sis 
ters  of  your  society  be  filled  with  grace  and  joy,  and 
be  surrounded  with  every  desirable  blessing  for  time 
and  eternity. 

"  Adored  be  the  God  of  all  grace  in  Jesus  his  Son, 
we  have  great  matter  of  praise  here,  several  religious 
societies  formed,  many  attentive  to  hear  the  gospel, 
several  I  hope  savingly  wrought  upon,  several  prom 
ising  youths  rising  to  the  ministry,  and  several  excel 
lent  Christians  favored  on  sick  or  dying  beds  with 
such  grace  and  joy  in  the  Lord  that  many  years  have 
not  equalled  within  my  observation  what  I  have  seen 
of  this  kind  within  a  few  months.  For  all  this  join 
your  praises  with  me,  and  favor  me  with  a  continued 
share  in  your  prayers." 

Doddridge's  missionary  zeal  was  well  understood 
and  appreciated  throughout  the  whole  circle  of  his 
friends.  In  February,  1745,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Ayscough, 
tutor  to  the  royal  family  of  England,  thus  wrote  to 
him :  "  I  have  an  affair  now  on  my  hands,  which,  when 
it  is  a  little  riper,  I  shall  communicate  to  you,  as  I 
believe  you  will  think  it  worth  your  notice  and 
encouragement.  It  is  a  scheme  for  civilizing  and 
converting  the  Indians  at  the  back  of  New  England 
by  the  assistance  of  a  gentleman  who  has  lived  many 
years  among  them.  If  it  succeeds,  it  will  be  attended 
with  many  advantages  in  a  civil  as  well  as  in  a  relig 
ious  way.  If  it  is  to  go  on  you  shall  hear  further  from 
me,  and  I  will  open  it  more  fully  to  you." 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  221 

It  ought  also  to  be  here  stated  that  to  the  zeal  of 
Dr.  Doddridge  is  also  to  be  chiefly  attributed  the 
establishment  in  London,  in  the  year  1750,  of  "  The 
Society  for  Promoting  Religious  Knowledge  among 
the  Poor,"  more  frequently  called  "  The  Book  Socie 
ty,"  which  still  exists  and  prospers. 

Assuredly  the  missionary  spirit  of  Dr.  Doddridge 
did  not  decline  while  he  lived.  In' June,  1751,  a  very 
few  months  before  his  decease,  he  preached  before  the 
Suffolk  Association  at  Sudbury,  and  according  to  the 
testimony  of  the  Rev.  Isaac  Tours,  who  was  present, 
"  After  dinner  the  doctor  proposed  to  the  assembled 
ministers,  perhaps  fifteen  or  twenty,  that  an  attempt 
should  be  made  to  engage  the  body  of  Protestant 
dissenters  to  unite  in  maintaining  a  missionary  in 
America  among  the  heathen  Indians  after  the  manner 
of  our  brethren  in  Scotland,  who  have  long  done  it, 
and  not  without  the  smiles  of  heaven  on  their  labor 
of  love."  No  one  dissented,  but  his  removal  from 
earth  soon  after  this  meeting  prevented  the  attempt 
being  made. 

When  the  engagements  of  Dr.  Doddridge  as  a 
tutor  and  an  author  are  considered,  it  is  a  matter  of 
surprise  that  he  should  have  gained  time  to  perform 
a  large  amount  of  pastoral  visitation.  Few  were  the 
days  in  which  he  was  not  seen  in  the  houses  of  the 
sick,  the  afflicted,  and  others,  to  converse  with  them 
respecting  their  spiritual  concerns.  He  had  no  time 
for  long,  or  formal,  or  unprofitable  visits.  He  had 
acquired  a  happy  capacity  for  turning  conversation 
into  a  channel  of  religious  profit,  and  for  leaving 
behind  him  salutary  impressions.  Heads  of  families 


222  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

he  faithfully  admonished  to  make  religion  the  chief 
concern  of  life,  and  to  "  command  their  children  and 
household  to  keep  the  way  of  the  Lord."  He  be 
stowed  the  kindest  regard  upon  children  and  servants, 
adapted  his  conversation  to  their  capacities,  gave 
them  texts  of  Scripture  to  commit  to  memory,  and 
placed  books  of  practical  piety  in  their  hands  to  read. 
The  houses  of  the  poor  he  frequently  visited,  and  in 
the  most  pleasing  manner  sought  to  promote  their 
tempqral  and  spiritual  welfare.  It  is  said  that  no 
visits  were  performed  with  greater  satisfaction  than 
those  which  he  made  to  the  poor ;  and  that  he  often 
expressed  wonder  and  grief  that  any  minister  should 
neglect  such  persons  out  of  too  much  regard  to  the 
wealthy,  or  to  any  studies  not  essential  to  usefulness. 

The  common  occurrences  of  life  are  most  illustra 
tive  of  character.  Calling  one  day  on  a  member  of 
his  church,  who  was  a  tanner,  and  who  was  busily 
engaged  drawing  the  skins  out  of  the  vats,  the  doctor 
gently  tapped  his  friend  on  the  shoulder,  who  turned 
round  in  surprise,  and  said,  "  Sir,  I  am  ashamed  that 
you  should  find  me  thus  employed."  The  good  pastor 
replied,  "  Let  my  Master,  when  he  cometh,  find  me  so 
doing."  "  What,"  said  the  good  man,  "  doing  thus  ?" 
"Yes,"  said  the  doctor,  "faithfully  performing  the 
duties  of  my  station." 

A  fact  occurred  in  1741  which  strikingly  illus 
trates  the  importance  of  caution  in  judging  alike  of 
the  providence  of  God  and  of  the  character  of  man. 
At  the  Northampton  assizes  a  man  named  Connell 
was  tried  for  a  murder  committed  two  years  before. 
Dr.  Doddridge  was  present,  and  afterwards  wrote  to 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  223 

Dr.  Clarke,  "  In  the  discovery  of  this  crime  there  was 
so  remarkable  a  hand  of  Providence  that  I  could  not 
but  adore  the  singular  interposition  of  that  God  who 
brings  to  light  the  hidden  things  of  darkness,  and 
exercises  so  conspicuous  a  power  over  the  consciences 
of  the  most  abandoned  sinners."  Connell  was  ad 
judged  guilty,  and  condemned  to  die  on  an  early  day, 
and  Doddridge  visited  him  in  prison.  He  found  the 
prisoner  self-collected,  with  but  little  hope  of  life,  but 
anxious  that  his  memory  might  be  relieved  from  unde 
served  reproach.  A  most  rigid  scrutiny  was  instituted 
at  great  trouble  and  expense  by  Doddridge  and  his 
friends,  and  facts  beyond  all  possible  contradiction  on 
the  evidence  of  five  credible  persons,  showed  that  he 
was  at  a  distance  of  a  hundred  and  twenty  miles 
when  the  murder  was  committed.  It  was  found  how 
ever  impossible  to  stay  the  execution,  and  the  poor 
creature,  guilty  of  other  sad  crimes,  but  innocent 
of  this,  died  on  the  gallows.  Doddridge  writes, 
"Among  other  things  I  remember  he  said,  'Every 
drop  of  my  blood  thanks  you,  for  you  have  had  com 
passion  on  every  drop  of  it.'  He  wished  he  might, 
before  he  died,  have  leave  to  kneel  at  the  threshold 
of  my  door  to  pray  for  me  and  mine;  which  indeed 
he  did  on  his  knees  in  the  most  earnest  manner,  as 
he  was  taken  out  to  be  executed.  '  You/  said  he, 
'  are  my  redeemer  in  one  sense,  (a  poor  impotent  re 
deemer  !)  and  you  have  a  right  to  me.  If  I  live  I  am 
your  property,  and  I  will  be  a  faithful  subject.'  The 
manner  in  which  he  spoke  of  what  he  promised  him 
self  from  my  friendship,  if  he  had  been  spared,  was 
exceedingly  natural  and  touching." 


224  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

It  could  not  be  expected  that  the  sanctified  mind 
of  Doddridge  would  allow  such  facts  as  these  to  pass 
before  him  without  deriving  from  them  important  les 
sons  ;  hence  he  adds  to  what  we  have  already  extract 
ed,  "  Upon  the  whole  I  never  passed  through  a  more 
striking  scene.  I  desire  it  may  teach  me  the  follow 
ing  lessons : 

"1.  To  adore  the  awful  justice  of  God  in  causing 
this  unhappy  creature  thus  infamously  to  fall  by  her 
with  whom  he  had  so  scandalously  sinned,  to  the  ruin 
of  a  very  loving  and  virtuous  wife.  Thus  God  made 
his  OAvn  law  effectual  that  the  adulterer  should  die. 

"2.  To  acknowledge  the  depths  of  the  divine 
counsels,  which  in  this  affair,  when  I  think  on  all  the 
circumstances  of  it,  are  impenetrable. 

"3.  To  continue  resolute  in  well-doing,  though  I 
should  be,  as  in  this  instance  I  have  been,  reproached 
and  reviled  for  it.  Some  have  said  that  I  am  an  Irish 
papist ;  others  have  used  very  contemptuous  language, 
and  thrown  out  base  censures  for  my  interposing  in 
this  affair,  though  I  am  in  my  conscience  persuaded 
that  to  have  neglected  that  interposition,  in  the  view 
I  then  had  of  things,  would  have  been  the  most  crim 
inal  part  in  my  whole  life. 

"4.  May  I  not  learn  from  it  gratitude  to  Him 
who  hath  redeemed  and  delivered  me?  In  which, 
alas,  how  far  short  do  I  fall  of  this  poor  creature. 
How  eagerly  did  he  receive  the  news  of  a  reprieve 
for  a  few  days.  How  tenderly  did  he  express  his 
gratitude :  that  he  should  be  mine :  that  I  might  do 
what  I  pleased  with  him:  that  I  had  bought  him; 
spoke  of  the  delight  with  which  he  should  see  and 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  225 

serve  me;  that  he  would  corne  once  a  year  from  one 
end  of  the  kingdom  to  the  other  to  see  and  thank  me, 
and  should  be  glad  never  to  go  out  of  my  sight.  Oh 
why  do  not  our  hearts  overflow  with  such  sentiments 
on  an  occasion  infinitely  greater  ?  We  were  all  dead 
men.  Execution  would  soon  have  been  done  upon 
us;  but  Christ  'hath  redeemed  us  to  God  by  his 
blood.7  We  are  not  merely  reprieved,  but  pardoned ; 
not  merely  pardoned,  but  adopted;  made  heirs  of 
eternal  glory,  and  near  the  borders  of  it.  In  conse 
quence  of  all  this,  we  are  not  our  own,  but  '  bought 
with  a  price.7  May  we  '  glorify  God  in  our  bodies 
and  spirits,  which  are  his.' " 

Among  Dr.  Doddridge's  letters  we  find  one  ad 
dressed  to  Mr.  Williams  of  Kidderminster,  in  which 
we  have  from  his  own  hand  a  concise  and  modest 
statement  of  the  manner  in  which  he  had  discharged 
his  pastoral  duties.  It  is  desirable  to  preserve  his 
own  account  of  this  matter ;  and  it  will  be  read  with 
interest.  It  was  written  near  the  close  of  his  faithful 
ministry. 

To  Mr.  Williams  of  Kidderminster. 

"  NORTHAMPTON,  Dec.  15,  1748. 

"I  thank  you  heartily  for  your  kind  and  truly 
friendly  letter,  which  I  perused  with  deep  attention, 
and  have  been  sincerely  asking  myself  the  question 
you  so  properly  suggest,  and  I  will  as  freely  tell  you 
the  result  of  that  examination.  I  cannot,  and  dare 
not  vindicate  myself  with  regard  to  them  all,  nor 
absolutely  as  to  any  one  of  them.  And  yet  my  con 
science  testifies,  in  the  sight  of  God,  if  the  prejudices 

10* 


226  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

of  self-love  do  not  impose  upon  me,  that  with  regard 
to  most  of  the  things  you  refer  to,  I  have  in  some 
degree  endeavored  to  discharge  my  duty  to  the  souls 
under  my  care. 

"I  know  nothing  in  the  world  I  have  desired  so 
much  as  'the  glory  of  God  and  the  conversion  of 
souls/  in  the  prosecution  of  my  ministry.     I.  have 
been  *  looking  up  to  God '  I  hope  sincerely,  though  I 
confess  not  so  fervently  and  constantly  and  humbly 
as  I  ought, '  to  direct  me  in  the  choice  of  subjects,  and 
in  the  method  of  handling  them;'  and  perhaps  you 
could  hardly  name  a  man  living  who  l  has  less  studied 
the  artifices  or  excellences  of  style  in  his  composi 
tions  for  the  pulpit.'    I  did  indeed  in  my  younger 
years  study  the  English  language  with  great  care, 
and  I  have  reason  to  believe  that  it  was  under  a  secret 
direction  of  Providence  that  I  did  so,  considering  the 
number  of  writings  which,  very  contrary  to  my  expec 
tation,  I  have  been  led  to  publish.    But  I  have  rather 
been  chargeable  with  negligence  than  with  an  excess 
of  accuracy  in  the  style  of  my  sermons,  sometimes 
having  hardly  written  for  many  months  one  complete 
sentence  for  the  pulpit.     '  As  for  a  weakness  and/ear 
and  much  trembling,  joined  with  demonstration  of 
spirit  and  power/  I  question  whether  they  do  not 
rather  refer  to  something  peculiar  to  the  apostles; 
though  to  be  sure  there  is  a  sense  in  which  we  declare 
'  the  testimony  of  God/  yet  not  just  the  same  with  that 
in  which  St.  Paul  spoke,  who  there  undoubtedly  refers 
to  inspiration  on  the  one  hand,  and  probably  to  an 
impediment  in  his  speech  on  the  other.     I  have  often, 
*  in  as  melting  a  manner  as  I  could,  and  as  knowing 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  227 

the  terrors  of  the  Lord,  entreated  my  hearers  to  be 
reconciled  to  God/  and  perhaps  few  preachers  have 
abounded  more  in  addresses  of  that  kind.  '  Nor  have 
I  ever  knowingly  and  deliberately  kept  back  from 
them  any  thing  which  I  considered  as  the  counsel  of 
God  to  them ;'  though  I  have  indeed  in  many  instances 
waived  controversies  from  principles  of  conscience, 
and  not  either  of  indolence,  or  of  cowardice,  if  I  have 
known  my  own  heart.  But  I  freely  own  I  have  not 
'  warned  from  house  to  house  with  a  zeal  and  tender 
ness'  like  that  which  I  could  wish;  though  many 
houses,  and  I  suppose  I  might  add,  many  scores  of 
houses,  have  been  witness  to  tears  of  tenderness  with 
which  I  have  at  different  times  admonished  or  entreat 
ed  particular  persons.  But  here  I  think  has  been  my 
greatest  defect,  that  there  are  many  whom  I  have  not 
so  warned,  and  that  there  have  been  many  days,  and 
some  weeks,  in  which  I  have  done  very  little  this  way ; 
and  though  I  believe  I  have  done  much  more  that  way 
than  most  ministers  do — I  speak  not,  however,  of  such 
as  Mr.  Fawcett  and  Mr.  Darracott — yet  I  believe  in 
my  conscience  I  have  done  much  less  than  my  duty 
required,  and  I  desire  to  be  humbled  before  God  on 
that  account.  I  have  '  labored  most  earnestly  to  pro 
cure  their  assembling  frequently  for  the  purpose  of 
prayer  and  general  edification ;'  but  I  am  sorry  to  say 
there  are  few  instances  in  which  I  have  prevailed, 
though  I  believe  we  have  three  or  four  societies  of 
this  kind,  consisting  perhaps  in  all  of  about  thirty 
persons,  perhaps  more.  If  in  your  next  inquiry  you 
refer  to  the  children,  I  have  been  careful  in  catechiz 
ing  them,  assigning  some  part  of  more  than  half  the 


228  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

weeks  in  the  year  to  this  care,  either  public  or  pri 
vate,  '  in  the  plainest  manner  I  possibly  could/  and 
this  '  with  earnest  prayer  for,  and  humble  dependence 
on  the  grace  and  Spirit  of  Christ,  to  add  efficacy  to 
such  endeavors/  All  this  I  write  as  I  would  with  a 
dying  hand,  and  as  if  my  life  were  to  end  with  my 
letter.  But  as  to  your  last  query,  I  frankly  acknow 
ledge,  again,  that  I  have  not  spent  '  three  hours  in  a 
week/  nor  two,  if  you  except  the  persons  of  my  own 
family,  in  treating  personally  with  souls  as  to  their 
spiritual  concerns :  the  cases  of  the  sick  also  excepted, 
for  that  included,  I  have  spent  much  more. 

"  On  the  whole,  therefore,  the  view  I  have  of  the 
matter  is  this,  that  the  multitude  of  necessary  busi 
ness  as  a  tutor,  added  to  that  as  a  writer,  and  above 
all,  my  business  as  a  correspondent,  in  the  multitude 
of  letters  which  I  have*  had  to  write,  often  more  than 
twenty  in  a  week,  and  some  of  them  large,  together 
with  those  critical  researches  which  have  been  neces 
sary  to  furnish  out  my  Family  Expositor,  a  work 
which  I  verily  believe  may  be  of  great  importance  for 
the  service  of  the  church,  has  taken  me  off  too  much 
from  the  immediate  care  of  souls  in  private,  and  has 
often  prevented  my  spending  so  much  time  in  secret 
devotion  as  I  should  otherwise  have  done.  And  I 
believe  that  God,  by  the  present  uncomfortable  situa 
tion  of  our  affairs,  has  rebuked  me  for  not  having  used 
greater  care  and  resolution  in  redeeming  my  time  for 
this  purpose.  For  this  I  desire  to  be  humbled  before 
him;  and  indeed  I  see  his  hand  stretched  out  in  a 
remarkable  degree,  for  since  the  year  1741  I  find 
more  than  four  hundred  persons  belonging  to  our 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  229 

congregation  have  been  removed.  Several  of  these 
have  been  numerous  families  transplanted  by  Provi 
dence  into  other  places,  and  several  of  these  were 
excellent  persons,  and  persons  to  whom  as  a  minister 
I  was  remarkably  dear,  and  very  useful.  Many  oth 
ers  have  been  taken  away  by  death,  and,  which  was 
particularly  affecting,  several  of  them  young  persons, 
who  had  been  wrought  upon  by  rny  ministry  but  a 
little  before,  and  promised  considerable  usefulness  in 
their  place.  The  number  of  those  who  have  deserted 
my  ministry  totally,  though  continuing  in  town,  has 
been  comparatively  but  small. 

"  I  have  met  with  some  encouragement,  though  I 
find  my  courage  and  zeal  very  deficient,  especially 
when  I  ought  to  go  to  such  as  I  have  reason  to  fear 
are  unconverted,  which  are  very  far  from  being  the 
greater  part  of  the  auditory,  and  pleading  with  them 
as  I  ought.  I  fear  there  are  several  families  in  which 
prayer  is  neglected ;  and  I  am  engaged  by  promise,  at 
the  beginning  of  the  year,  to  write  a  letter  to  a  head 
of  a  family  upon  that  occasion,  which  is  to  be  printed, 
and  translated  immediately  into  Dutch,  and  probably 
into  French  too,  so  that  many  thousands  of  it,  one  way 
and  another,  will  soon  be  circulated.  I  desire  your  par 
ticular  prayers  for  me,  and  those  of  Mr.  Fawcett,  and 
your  praying  society  in  this  view.  I  shall  be  glad  of 
a  letter  from  my  good  friend  Mr.  Fawcett,  to  whom  I 
consider  myself  as  here  writing,  containing  an  account 
of  his  present  success,  for  which  I  shall  glorify  God, 
as  I  often  pray  very  expressly  for  it;  and  I  shall  be 
glad  both  of  his  advice  and  yours  in  the  present  cir 
cumstances  of  affairs,  which  I  have  let  you  into  as 


230  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

plainly  as  possible.  I  must  add  one  thing,  which  is 
that  I  have  a  secret  hope  that  these  many  discourag 
ing  circumstances  have  of  late  occurred  partly  to 
awaken  my  spirit  to  greater  zeal  in  labor  and  ferven 
cy  in  prayer,  and  partly  to  make  the  hand  of  God  the 
more  remarkable  in  reviving  our  Sion  in  its  low  state ; 
and  as  it  has  been  very  apparent,  from  many  circum 
stances  in  my  public  ministrations  and  private  converse 
of  late,  that  I  am  under  peculiar  dejection — as  some 
think  more  than  I  ought  to  be — this  I  think  will  stir 
up  the  zeal  of  some  of  my  brethren,  and  in  that  re 
spect  may,  I  humbly  hope,  be  a  means  of  good." 

Of  Mr.  Williams  it  seems  proper  to  give  the  read 
er  a  few  additional  facts.  At  a  period  when  error 
and  religious  formality  so  much  abounded,  it  is  pleas 
ant  to  contemplate  such  a  character  as  he  presented. 
He  eminently  "walked  with  God,"  benefited  the 
church  by  his  ardent  devotion,  and  commanded  the 
respect  of  general  society  by  his  stern  integrity.  He 
was  a  manufacturer,  and  much  of  his  time  was  spent 
in  travelling  in  the  discharge  of  his  mercantile  duties, 
and  in  this  manner  he  became  acquainted  with  many 
ministers,  and  other  eminent  Christians.  Mourning 
over  the  decline  of  vital  piety,  and  the  declension  of  not 
a  few  ministers  from  the  truth,  he  wrote  a  pamphlet  in 
which  he  traced  these  evils  to  this  origin :  a  departure 
from  the  simplicity  of  Christianity  •  which  was  revised 
by  Dr.  Watts,  and  published  in  1740.  He  hailed 
with  holy  joy  the  visits  of  Whitefield,  Wesley,  and 
other  kindred  mindg  to  his  native  town,  and  exulted 
in  their  success.  Well  does  Wesley  say  of  him  in  his 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  231 

"  Journal,"  "  I  know  not  of  what  denomination  lie  is, 
nor  is  it  material,  for  he  has  the  mind  which  was  in 
Christ."  His  efforts  to  secure  the  pastorate  of  the 
church  of  which  he  was  a  member  for  the  excellent 
Fawcett  we  shall  speak  of  elsewhere. 

The  occasion  of  the  above  letter  to  Mr.  Williams  is 
disclosed  in  part  in  one  of  Dr.  Doddridge  to  the  Rev. 
Samuel  Clarke,  March  1,  1749.  "  The  letter  which  I 
sent  you  from  Mr.  Williams  was  occasioned  by  one  of 
mine  to  good  Mr.  Fawcett  of  Wellington,  which  I 
wrote  under  some  discouragements  that  I  met  with  at 
my  return  from  London,  by  five  of  our  members  join 
ing  the  Moravians,  who  have  left  their  places  at  the 
Lord's  table,  and  have,  most  of  them,  entirely  with 
drawn,  as  another  of  our  members  has  done,  who  is 
gone  to  College  Lane.  So  very  few  had  been  admit 
ted  to  the  Lord's  table  for  many  months,  and  so  many 
breaches  had  been  made  by  deaths  and  removals,  that 
it  struck  me  very  much ;  and  the  great  regard  I  have 
for  the  prayers  of  Mr.  Darracott  and  Mr.  Pearsall, 
of  whose  great  success  in  their  ministry  I  had  just 
heard,  engaged  me  to  open  myself  so  much  the  more 
freely  to  them ;  nor  did  the  plainness  which  Mr.  Will 
iams  used  with  me  on  this  occasion  displease  me.  I 
bless  God  I  have  had  some  encouragement  of  late, 
which  in  some  measure  balances  these  complaints, 
and  would  by  no  means  deny  the  reason  I  have  al 
ways  had  to  bless  God  on  account  of  several  of  my 
people,  in  whom  there  is  as  much  of  the  power  of 
religion  as  I  have  anywhere  known  in  such  circum 
stances  of  life ;  and  it  was  plain  to  me  that  Mr.  Will 
iams  considered  the  matter  as  worse  than  it  really  was." 


232  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

About  this  time  Dr.  Doddridge  received  from  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Pearsall  a  very  affectionate  and  pious  letter, 
which  is  valuable  for  the  light  which  it  throws  upon 
the  reputation  sustained  by  Dr.  Doddridge  both  as  a 
pastor  and  as  an  author. 

From  the  Rev.  R.  Pearsall. 

"  TAUNTON,  Feb.  9,  1749. 

"  My  good  brother  Darracott  having  communi 
cated  to  me  what  you  have  written  to  him,  and  telling 
me  at  the  same  time  that  he  was  to  write  to  you  under 
a  frank,  you  will  excuse  my  indulging  myself  in  writing 
to  you ;  and  if  I  only  express  a  little  of  the  honor  and 
affection  with  which  my  pulse  beats  high,  and  lay  my 
self  before  you  as  one  that  needs,  desires,  and  puts  a 
high  regard  upon  your  prayers,  a  purpose  may  be 
answered. 

"  As  the  complaints  you  make  carry  in  them  the 
marks  of  sorrow,  I  have  learned  to  sympathize  with 
you ;  though  I  think  at  the  same  time  you  have  abun 
dant  cause  for  thanksgiving.  God  has  greatly  ad 
vanced  you  by  the  situation  he  has  given  you  in  his 
church;  he  has  set  you  high  above  most  that  he  has 
made  stewards  there,  and  there  are  a  great  many  who 
will  call  you  their  spiritual  father  at  the  great  day  of 
manifestation ;  remarkable  power  has  gone  forth  with 
many  of  the  gospel  reports  which  you  have  uttered. 
If  he  now  withholds  the  efficacious  influence,  surely  he 
may  do  what  he  will  with  his  own;  and  you  know 
such  dispensations  may  subserve  very  important  ends. 
I  do  not  say  it  is  to  humble,  but  it  may  be  partly  to 
keep  low.  How  much  pride  is  there  in  some,  and  in 
the  best  is  it  not  a  poisonous  weed,  that  will  spring 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  233 

up  unless  ever  trampled  down?  We  all  allow  that 
in  the  success  that  attends  our  ministrations  the  pow 
er  is  of  God,  and  not  of  man;  and  yet  if  any  other 
heart  is  half  as  bad  as  mine,  how  ready  is  it  to  assume 
something  to  itself  that  does  not  belong  to  it ! 

"  When  I  consider  the  thing  in  itself,  I  am  induced 
to  wonder  that  any  who  have  a  savor  of  piety  should 
desert  your  ministry.  But  then  I  think,  had  not  the 
blessed  apostle  the  same  trial  ?  Were  there  not  many 
that  had  received  him  as  an  angel,  and  would  have 
even  plucked  out  their  eyes,  and  given  them  to  him, 
who  were  estranged  from  him  ?  But  your  soul  has  been 
carried  above  these  things ;  may  it  be  so  more  entire 
ly.  May  your  faith  fix  your  eye  most  attentively  upon 
your  Lord,  who  bore  so  much  contradiction,  and  upon 
his  dear  apostles,  who  preached  the  gospel  with  much 
contention.  I  dare  say  these  discouragements  have 
already  answered  a  good  purpose ;  perhaps  they  have 
been  the  means  of  seasoning  your  spirit  to  some  fur 
ther  degrees  of  spirituality ;  perhaps,  if  we  go  no  fur 
ther  for  a  reason,  we  may  find  it  in  the  account  you 
had  received,  or  were  to  receive  from  abroad  of  the 
spread  of  your  printed  works.  The  apostle  himself, 
when  he  was  so  highly  favored  with  visions  and  reve 
lations,  soon  found  a  thorn  in  the  flesh,  which  some 
have,  not  improbably,  imagined  might  be  the  rising  of 
false  apostles;  and  this  even  that  humble  apostle 
looked  upon  as  designed  to  prevent  pride,  'lest  I 
should  be  exalted  above  measure.'  Consider,  sir,  the 
Lord  has  done  you  more  honor  than  ever  any  man  in 
your  day.  There  is  no  one  whose  works  have  been 
translated  into  such  various  languages,  and  have  had 


PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

so  wide  a  spread.  Methinks  I  cannot  but  apply  to 
you  these  words :  '  Thou  art  a  chosen  vessel  unto  me, 
to  bear  my  name  among  the  Gentiles/  among  the 
Dutch,  the  French,  and  Germans.  Oh,  sir,  while  this 
honor  is  so  extraordinary,  it  is  a  great  trial  of  your 
humility.  I  know  you  will  adore,  with  a  profound  pros 
tration  of  soul,  and  say  that  by  the  grace  of  God  you 
are  what  you  are ;  that  every  part  of  your  furniture, 
in  head,  heart,  and  education,  comes  from  on  high:  go 
on  to  do  so,  and  it  will  be  a  token  for  good  that  the 
Lord  will  do  more  still  by  you. 

"Still  you  say,  while  God 'has  so  crowned  you 
abroad,  you  would  be  the  immediate  instrument  of  con 
victions,  etc.  And  I  doubt  not  that  it  is  a  noble  am 
bition  which  glows  in  your  breast,  and  I  trust  the  Lord 
will  gratify  you  in  your  gracious  desires ;  but  if  he 
should  not,  comfort  yourself  with  this,  that  he  has  not 
only  wrought  by  you  this  way  already  more  than  by 
most,  but  is  peculiarly  in  two  ways  making  you 
extensively  useful ;  the  one  is  by  your  printed  works, 
both  in  England  and  beyond  the  seas,  so  that  no  one 
living  can  so  properly  apply  those  words,  qua  regio  in 
terris  nostri  non  plena  laboris  ?  By  these  you  are  not 
only  preaching  with  a  loud  voice  indeed,  but  will  be 
doing  so  after  your  own  translation  to  heaven.  The 
other  is,  by  your  being  the  instrument  of  begetting  so 
many  fathers,  if  I  may  use  the  expression.  And  if 
you  look  no  further  than  Mr.  Fawcett  and  Mr.  Dar- 
racott,  you  may  say,  '  My  heart  is  glad,  and  my  glory 
rejoiceth.'  The  greater  things  God  does  by  them  the 
more  exuberant  may  your  joy  be,  as  your  blessed, 
happy,  honored  hand  formed  and  fashioned  them  for 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  235 

the  service  of  the  sanctuary ;  I  think  two  of  the  most 
successful  ministers  among  us. 

"  Oh,  sir,  if  there  are  any  bowels  of  mercy  for 
others,  and  I  know  you  have  a  large  heart,  pray  for 
me;  do  it  by  name.  God  has  not  left  us,  but  gra 
ciously  gives  us  some  tokens  of  his  presence.  Entreat 
that  he  will  quicken  my  soul,  fill  it  with  the  most  pure 
and  ardent  breathings,  strengthen  my  hands,  and  if 
he  sees  best,  recruit  frail  nature,  which  is  evidently 
sinking,  and  causes  me  to  think  of  Gideon's  motto, 
*  Faint,  yet  pursuing/ 

"  I  am  almost  ashamed  of  the  freedom  I  have  tak 
en  ;  but  you  know  I  love  you,  and  should  be  glad  to 
sit  at  your  fejet  as  a  learner." 

Finding  it  impracticable,  with  all  his  diligence,  to 
visit  as  often  as  he  thought  desirable  the  members  of 
so  large  and  scattered  a  congregation,  he  proposed  to 
them  on  December  4,  1737,  to  elect  four  persons  of 
distinguished  piety,  gravity,  and  experience,  to  the 
office  of  elders;  which  accordingly  was  done.  He 
thought  that  such  an  office  was  authorized  by  Scrip 
ture  ;  at  least,  that  the  circumstances  of  some  pastors 
and  churches  rendered  it  expedient  to  have  such  offi 
cers  to  inspect  the  state  of  the  church,  and  assist  the 
pastor  in  some  portions  of  his  work.  They  visited 
and  prayed  with  the  sick ;  sought  out  and  conversed 
with  persons  who  appeared  to  be  under  religious  im 
pressions,  or  were  regarded  as  promising  candidates 
for  a  public  profession  of  religion ;  and  besides  these 
things,  the  elders  often  delivered  a  public  exhortation. 
They  met  weekly  with  their  pastor  to  communicate 
to  him  their  observations  upon  the  spiritual  aspects 


236  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

of  the  congregation,  and  to  receive  counsel  and  advice 
in  cases  of  peculiar  difficulty.  The  services  of  this 
eldership  were  found  to  be  greatly  beneficial  to  the 
people,  and  an  invaluable  assistance  to  the  pastor  in 
laboring  for  their  good. 

No  place  more  appropriate  than  this  can  be  found 
for  inserting  the  admirable  LETTER  OP  INSTRUCTIONS 
addressed  by  Dr.  Doddridge  to  the  elders  of  his  con 
gregation. 

"To  the  Rev.  Mr.  Evans,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Orton,  and  Mr.  John  Brown, 
Elders  of  the  Church  of  Christ  at  Northampton  under  my  pastoral 
care ;  together  with  Mr.  Hayworth,  their  associate  in  that  work: 

"  MY  DEAR  AND  WORTHY  FRIENDS,  BELOVED  IN.  THE 

LORD — Permit  me,  with  all  possible  sincerity,  to  assure 
you  that  I  esteem  the  relation  in  which  you  stand  to 
the  church  as  its  elders,  in  the  number  of  the  many 
valuable  mercies  which  I  enjoy  in  my  present  very 
comfortable  situation.  I  doubt  not  that  from  the 
word  of  God,  and  the  reasonings  of  your  own  minds 
upon  that  relation  in  general,  you  are  in  the  main 
acquainted  with  the  duties  of  your  office,  and  I  well 
know  there  are  those  of  you  who  have  been  active 
and  faithful  in  discharging  them.  Nevertheless,  as 
you  desire  some  further  advice  upon  that  head,  I,  who 
also  am  an  elder,  and  your  companion  as  well  as  your 
leader  in  the  service  of  our  common  Lord,  have 
thought  it  incumbent  upon  me  to  comply  with  this 
your  request,  and  in  doing  it  I  shall  use  great  plain 
ness  of  speech,  humbly  hoping  that  He,  in  whose  hand 
I  set  about  this  work,  will  assist  me  to  write  what 
may  be  as  a  nail  fixed  in  a  sure  place,  and  may  be 
useful  to  others  as  well  as  to  yourselves. 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  23? 

"I  apprehend,  my  dear  brethren,  that  the  duties 
of  your  office  may  be  considered  partly  as  ordinary, 
that  is,  due  from  you  to  all  the  members  of  the  church 
whatever  their  circumstances  are,  and  partly  as  p^ 
culiar  and  extraordinary,  in  consequence  of  something 
singular  in  the  condition  of  some  persons  who  may 
come  under  your  consideration. 

"I.  The  great  common  duty  which  you  owe  to  the 
church  in  general,  and  which  must  indeed  be  the 
foundation  of  all  the  rest,  is,  that  you  carefully  inspect 
them,  and  for  that  end  that  you  visit  them ;  for  with 
out  that  care,  it  will  hardly  be  possible  to  judge  thor 
oughly  of  the  state  of  religion  among  them.  For  the 
better  regulation,  therefore,  of  this  important  affair, 
I  would  humbly  offer  you  the  following  advice : 

"1.  Get  a  list  of  all  the  heads  of  families  at  least, 
and  if  you  can,  of  all  other  persons  belonging  to  the 
church.  I  present  you  with  such  a  list,  together  with 
this  letter,  and  I  desire  that  each  of  you  would  tran 
scribe  it,  and  sometimes  review  it,  suppose  once  a 
year,  that  you  may  recollect  what  notice  is  taken  of 
the  several  persons  who  stand  upon  it ;  and  it  will  be 
easy  for  you  to  make  proper  additions  to  it  as  new 
members  are  admitted  among  us. 

"2.  Let  this  list  be  distributed  into  different  class 
es,  and  each  class  assigned  in  a  more  particular  man 
ner  to  one  of  you,  not  as  the  only  persons  you  are  to 
regard,  but  as  those  of  whom  you  are  to  take  the  chief 
care.  This  should  be  done  by  mutual  consent,  and  a 
catalogue  of  them  written  out  by  the  elder  to  whose 
special  care  they  fall.  And  I  think  it  would  be  prop 
er  this  should  be  done  on  a  sheet  of  paper,  in  such  a 


PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

manner  that  there  may  be  room  to  write  over  against 
every  name  the  time  when  the  person  was  solemnly 
visited  last,  and  perhaps  some  little  memoranda  con- 
kerning  further  business  to  be  done  with  or  for  him ; 
or  if  such  memoranda  be  too  long,  a  little  book  may 
be  required  for  them,  the  articles  of  which  may  be 
easily  referred  to  in  this  paper  by  setting  them  down 
under  distinct  numbers. 

"  3.  Let  the  families  and  persons  thus  taken  upon 
the  list  of  each,  be  visited  as  you  have  opportunity, 
taking  the  most  important  first,  but  on  the  whole  neg 
lecting  none  ;  and  endeavor  to  make  your  visits  as 
serviceable  to  them  as  possible.  For  this  purpose 
call  the  heads  of  families  apart ;  inquire  of  them  how 
it  fares  with  them  and  their  families  as  to  their  relig 
ious  state ;  give  them  such  exhortations,  instructions, 
and  admonitions  as  you  judge  proper ;  and  especially 
endeavor  to  engage  them  to  a  strict  observation  of 
family  worship,  and  a  spiritual  care  of  their  children 
and  servants. 

"4.  Observe  how  they  are  furnished  with  good 
books,  and  especially  with  Bibles,  and  what  provision 
is  made  for  teaching  the  children  and  servants  to 
read. 

"5.  Take  an  opportunity  of  addressing  the  chil 
dren  and  servants  of  the  family  with  some  short  but 
serious  exhortation,  and  endeavor  to  impress  your 
own  hearts  with  a  deep  sense  of  the  importance  of 
their  character.  For  be  assured  that,  under  God,  the 
children  of  godly  parents  are  the  great  hope  of  the 
church  for  future  generations.  In  this  view,  if  you 
and  the  deacons  were  to  visit  the  charity  school  at 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  239 

certain  times,  to  talk  to,  and  to  pray  with  the  chil 
dren,  it  might  perhaps  turn  to  good  account. 

"  6.  Conclude  your  visits  with  prayer  when  you 
can  do  so  conveniently,  and  this  not  merely  in  ig 
norant,  or  in  less  considerable  families,  but  even 
when  you  come  to  the  families  of  those  who  are  most 
eminent  in  religion.  It  will  quicken  your  own  hearts, 
and  may  quicken  theirs. 

"  7.  When  you  return  from  visiting  your  brethren, 
recollect  their  cases,  consider  what  petitions  are  to 
be  offered  up  to  God  for  them  in  the  next  return  of 
secret  duty,  what  care  is  to  be  taken  of  them,  and 
particularly  what  information  it  may  be  proper  to 
give  me  concerning  any  thing  encouraging,  or  other 
wise,  which  you  may  have  observed  in  them  or  their 
families. 

"II.  I  would  now  remind  you  of  some  of  the  more 
particular  duties  of  your  office  with  relation  to  those 
whose  case  may  require  a  distinguishing  notice ;  and 
here, 

"1.  Take  notice  of  those  who  are  under  any  seri 
ous  impressions,  or  any  spiritual  distress,  and  make 
your  visits  to  them  more  frequent.  Remember  that 
these  are  tender  times,  and  that  it  is  of  great  impor 
tance  to  work  together  with  the  Holy  Spirit  when  he 
seems  to  begin  his  gracious  operations  on  the  human 
soul. 

"  2.  Where  you  judge  that  any  are  prepared  by 
divine  grace  for  church-membership,  and  are  not  yet 
come  to  the  Lord's  table,  visit  and  confer  with  them 
as  to  an  approach.  Endeavor  to  remove  their  diffi 
culties  and  discouragements,  and  inform  me,  that  I 


240  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

may  put  their  names  on  the  list  which  I  keep  of  such 
persons. 

"3.  Visit  and  pray  with  the  sick,  and  deal  serious 
ly  with  them  about  their  eternal  interests.  And  here 
stay  not  always  to  .be  sent  for,  but  go  and  offer  your 
services  where  you  have  reason  to  think  they  will  be 
acceptable ;  and  as  it  will  not  be  probable  that  you 
can  gee  them  so  frequently  as  their  case  requires,  en 
deavor  to  engage  some  pious  neighbor  to  visit  them, 
so  that  they  may  be  seen  every  day  while  their  illness 
continues  extreme ;  and  if  I  am  informed,  and  be  near 
them,  I  shall  always  be  ready  to  join  my  labors  with 
yours  on  this  occasion. 

"  4.  If  any  are  under  remarkable  afflictions,  or  have 
received  remarkable  deliverances,  make  them  a  visit 
upon  the  occasion. 

"5.  Where  you  hear  any  behave  in  a  disorderly 
manner,  make  an  immediate  application  to  them ;  and 
where  any  are  offended  and  come  to  you  with  their 
complaints,  do  not  immediately  engage  yourselves  in 
the  quarrel,  but  put  them  upon  proceeding  regularly, 
according  to  the  wise  direction  of  our  blessed  Lord : 
that  is,  if  it  be  a  matter  of  private  offence  only,  let 
the  party  offended  go  to  the  offender,  and  tenderly 
expostulate  with  him ;  and  then  if  he  will  not  hear,  let 
him  take  two  more  and  repeat  that  admonition ;  and 
let  these  be  persons  of  discretion,  humility,  and  ten 
derness.  And  if  the  offender  will  not  hear  these,  then 
let  the  matter  be  brought  before  the  church.  And 
here  let  it  be  observed,  that  good  order  seems  to  re 
quire  that  one  of  the  elders  should  be  the  person  to 
state  the  case,  for  he  is  likely  to  speak  more  wisely 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  241 

than  the  person  offended,  who  is  often  himself  also 
much  to  blame.  And  as  debates  in  a  church  meeting 
are  dangerous  if  not  managed  with  great  prudence,  I 
think,  in  such  cases,  all  the  elders  and  the  pastor  ought 
to  be  previously  acquainted  with  the  facts,  that  they 
may  take  counsel  together,  and  ask  for  their  counsel 
from  the  Lord,  who,  in  that  case  will,  I  hope,  guide 
us  in  judgment.  But  as  for  cases  of  public  scandal,  I 
think  the  offender  ought  to  be  publicly  admonished, 
and  if  he  does  really  repent,  I  apprehend  that  he  ought 
to  express  that  repentance  by  such  confession  and  hu 
miliation  as  may  be  satisfactory,  not  to  the  elders 
alone,  but  to  the  church  in  general ;  till  he  has  done 
which,  I  cannot  be  free  that  such  a  person  should  sit 
down  with  us  at  the  table  of  the  Lord.  This  I  take 
to  be  the  regular  method  of  proceeding  with  offend 
ers  ;  yet  I  must  add  that  I  think  it  proper  that  the 
elders  should  examine  the  case,  and  deal  with  every 
offender  privately,  before  admonition  is  solemnly 
given. 

"6.1  think  it  incumbent  on  the  elders  to  take  no 
tice  of  the  temporal  necessities  of  those  whom  they 
visit,  and  to  give  proper  information  to  the  deacons, 
and  also  to  give  them  such  exhortations  relating  to 
the  discharge  of  their  duty  from  time  to  time,  as  may 
be  subservient  to  the  good  of  the  whole.  And  as  God 
has  blessed  the  church  with  deacons  of  such  distin 
guished  worth,  and  such  approved  wisdom  and  fidelity, 
I  hope  I  need  not  remind  you,  my  brethren,  how 
proper  it  will  be  to  join  their  counsel  with  yours  in 
all  matters  of  importance. 

"7.  The  elders  should  cultivate  an  intimate  friend- 

Doddridge.  1 1 


242  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

ship  with  each  other.  Remembering  that  the  whole 
church  is  in  some  degree  the  province  of  each,  and 
proper  times  should  be  assigned,  in  which  they  and 
the  pastor  may  consult  together  in  cares  of  diffi 
culty  and  importance,  and  in  which  the  result  of  their 
mutual  observations  should  be  carefully  communicated 
to  him ;  though  indeed,  the  more  frequently  something 
of  this  kind  passes  in  occasional  meetings,  the  better 
it  may  be. 

"8.  As  the  pastor  is  with  peculiar  care  to  watch 
over  the  elders,  and  to  admonish  and  exhort  them, 
so  are  they  likewise,  in  the  spirit  of  humility  and  love, 
to  watch  over  him  in  the  Lord.  And  I  do  hereby  en 
treat  and  charge  you,  my  brethren,  that  if  there  be 
any  thing  in  my  temper  and  conduct  which  appears 
to  you  to  give  just  and  reasonable  offence,  you  would 
remind  me  of  it  plainly  and  faithfully ;  and  I  hope  you 
will  always  find  that  I  shall  receive  advice  with  meek 
ness,  and  endeavor  to  be  an  example  to  others  of  a 
readiness  to  reform  as  God  shall  enable  me. 

"Thus,  my  dear  friends,  I  have  laid  before  you 
with  all  freedom  a  variety  of  hints  relating  to  your 
office ;  and  if  you  think  it  would  be  for  the  service  of 
the  church  that  these  things  should  be  done,  then  per 
mit  me  to  charge*  and  entreat  you  that  you  be  careful 
in  these  respects.  I  would  not  be  an  idol  shepherd, 
and  I  would  not  have  you  images  of  elders,  bearing 
so  honorable  a  name  while  the  duties  of  the  office  are 
neglected :  it  would  therefore  be  much  better  to  throw 
up  the  name,  than  not  to  answer  it  by  vigorous  and 
correspondent  services.  But  if  you  apprehend  the 
province  too  large,  and  desire,  in  order  to  make  it 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  243 

easier,  to  increase  your  number,  I  shall  heartily  ap 
prove  it,  and  will  join  with  you  in  a  proper  applica 
tion  to  the  church  for  that  purpose ;  only  I  desire  that, 
before  any  are  invested  with  the  office,  which,  I  think, 
should  be  done  by  solemn  prayer,  they  may  hear  or 
read  this  letter,  and  declare  their  acceptance  of  the 
office  upon  these  terms. 

"  I  am  sensible,  my  dear  brethren,  that  it  may  seem 
a  heavy  burden  that  I  lay  upon  you ;  but  remember 
that  God  is  able  to  make  all  grace  abound  to  you,  to 
strengthen  you  for  all  these  labors,  and  for  more  than 
these.  It  will  demand  some  share  of  your  time,  as 
well  as  thought ;  but  remember  He  can  bless  you  in 
your  affairs,  so  as  to  give  much  more  than  you  take 
from  them  in  such  labors  of  love ;  and  be  assured  of 
this,  that  you  will  find  the  reward  of  all.  While  you 
water  others,  you  will  be  watered  yourselves;  and 
grace  will  be  strengthened  in  your  hearts  by  the  en 
deavors  you  use  to  quicken  and  confirm  your  breth 
ren  ;  and  as  you  share  in  a  part  of  the  work,  you  shall 
also  share  in  the  glorious  reward  which  faithful  min 
isters  shall  receive  when  the  great  Shepherd  shall  ap 
pear.  The  wisdom  of  this  world  is  foolishness  with 
God ;  but  those  who  have  been  wise  to  win  souls  shall 
then  shine  forth  as  the  stars ;  yea,  they  shall  shine  for 
ever  as  the  sun  in  their  Father's  kingdom.  And  there 
fore  gird  up  the  loins  of  your  mind,  apply  with  vigor 
to  the  office  assigned  you,  and  watch  over  your  hearts 
and  lives  in  such  a  manner  that  you  may  always  be  fit 
to  engage  in  this  service  with  spirit  and  authority,  and 
may  that  God  who  led  Jacob  like  a  flock,  be  with  you 
and  bless  you;  may  his  counsel  guide  you,  may  his 


244  PHILIP  DODDEIDGE. 

grace  quicken  you,  may  his  strength  fortify  you ;  and 
be  assured  of  this,  that,  as  I  am  thoroughly  persuaded 
you  will  often  be  praying  for  me  and  the  church  with 
great  earnestness  and  importunity,  so  you  will  have, 
if  that  can  be  any  encouragement  to  you,  a  share  in 
our  petitions  at  the  throne  of  grace,  and  particularly 
in  those  of  my  dear  friends. 

"  Your  very  affectionate  brother  and  fellow-labor 
er,  and  your  faithful  servant,  for  Jesus7  sake, 

"PHILIP  DODDRIDGE." 

It  is  in  order  to  notice  here  the  establishment,  at 
Dr.  Doddridge's  suggestion  and  by  his  influence,  of  a 
Charity-school  in  town,  in  the  year  1738,  for  the  in 
struction  of  the  children  of  the  poor.  Certain  sums 
weekly  or  annually  were  contributed  to  the  support 
of  it  by  the  parents  according  to  their  ability.  Soon 
a  foundation  was  laid  for  instructing  and  clothing 
twenty  boys,  who  were  selected  and  placed  under  the 
care  of  a  pious  teacher,  who  taught  them  to  read  and 
write,  and  gave  them  religious  instruction.  He  brought 
them  also  to  public  worship.  An  annual  sermon  was 
preached,  and  a  collection  taken  for  the  support  of  the 
school.  Dr.  Doddridge  and  many  of  his  friends  out 
of  town  contributed  to  it  in  books  and  money.  He 
often  visited  the  school,  to  strengthen  the  authority 
and  influence  of  the  teacher ;  to  observe  the  progress 
of  the  children ;  to  talk  to  them,  catechize,  and  pray 
with  them.  A  weekly  visit  was  also  made  by  the 
trustees  in  rotation,  for  similar  purposes.  The  re 
sults  were  exceedingly  happy,  and  great  good  was 
accomplished. 

The  pastoral  labors  of  Doddridge,  so  faithful  and 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  245 

energetic,  were  not  performed  without  earnest  self- 
culture  and  constant  self-vigilance.  On  his  desk  lay 
a  memorandum-book,  in  which,  as  they  occurred  to 
him,  hints  were  inserted  of  what  further  should  be 
done  for  the  benefit  of  his  people — of  visits  to  be 
made  to  particular  persons,  the  manner  of  addressing 
them,  and  evils  to  be  corrected.  At  the  end  of  al 
most  every  year  he  instituted  a  solemn  review  of  his 
ministrations,  and  formed  resolutions  aiming  at  im 
provements  for  the  future.  He  took  great  delight  in 
attending  services  for  the  ordination  of  ministers,  and 
often  preached  on  such  occasions.  Upon  returning 
from  such  a  service,  October  22,  1736,  when  he  had 
preached  from  Heb.  13:17,  "They  watch  for  your 
souls,  as  they  that  must  give  account,"  he  writes  in 
his  diary: 

"It  was  a  solemn,  awful  day,  and  left  some  deep 
impressions  on  my  heart.  I  would  remember  that, 
teaching  others,  I  teach  myself.  I  have  many  cares 
and  labors.  May  God  forgive  me,  that  I  am  so  apt  to 
forget  those  of  the  pastoral  office. 

"I now  resolve,  1.  To  take  a  more  particular  account 
of  the  souls  committed  to  my  care. 

"  2.  To  visit,  as  soon  as  possible,  the  whole  congre 
gation,  to  learn  more  particularly  the  circumstances 
of  them,  their  children,  and  servants. 

"3.1  will  make  as  exact  a  list  as  I  can  of  those  that 
I  have  reason  to  believe  are  unconverted,  of  the  awak 
ened,  and  of  the  converted  and  those  who  should  come 
to  the  communion,  as  well  as  those  that  are  in  the 
church. 

"4.  When  I  have  any  thing  particular  relating  to 


246  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

the  religious  state  of  my  people,  I  will  visit  them  and 
talk  with  them. 

"5.  I  will  especially  be  careful  to  visit  the  sick. 

"6.  I  will  begin  immediately  with  inspection  over 
those  under  my  own  roof,  that  I  may  with  the  greater 
freedom  urge  other  heads  of  families  to  a  like  care. 

0  my  soul,  the  account  is  great.     Lord,  I  hope  thou 
knowest  I  am  desirous  of  approving  myself  a  faithful 
servant  of  thee,  and  of  souls.    Oh  watch  over  me,  that 

1  may  watch  over  them,  and  then  all  will  be  well. 
Continue  these  things  on  the  imagination  of  my  heart, 
that  my  own  sermon  may  not  another  day  rise  up  in 
judgment  against  me." 

It  would  seem  that  if  ever  there  was  a  true  man. 
an  honest  man— a  good  pastor — such  was  Dr.  Dod- 
dridge.  We  are  told  by  his  friend  and  student  the 
pious  Orton,  who  knew  him  most  intimately,  that  the 
above  and  similar  reflections  and  resolutions  made  at 
other  times,  were  exemplified  in  his  general  conduct. 
Well  would  it  be  for  the  church  at  large,  if  her  min 
istry  would  study  and  imitate  so  bright  and  rare  an 
example  of  pastoral  wisdom  and  fidelity. 

And  how  were  such  services  and  such  eminent  de 
votion  to  the  spiritual  interests  of  his  charge  appre 
ciated  and  honored  at  Northampton  and  elsewhere? 
Orton  informs  us  that  few  ministers  have  been  more 
esteemed  and  beloved  by  their  people.  Extraordinary 
success  attended  the  earlier  years  of  his  ministry 
among  them ;  and  during  the  whole  course  of  it,  his 
congregation  flourished  in  numbers,  and  generally,  in 
the  discharge  of  Christian  duties.  At  times,  indeed, 
with  other  faithful  pastors,  he  was  obliged  to  lament 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  241 

the  defection  or  immoralities  of  some,  and  these  oc 
casioned  him  the  deepest  grief. 

In  reference  to  disappointments  and  sorrows  of 
this  kind,  he  writes,  "God  hath  sanctified  all  these 
grievances  to  me;  hath  made  me  more  humble,  more 
watchful,  more  mortified  to  this  vain  world  and  its 
interests  and  enjoyments,  than  I  ever  remember  to 
have  found  myself.  He  has  visited  me  from  time  to 
time  with  such  strong  consolations,  with  such  delight 
ful  effusions  of  his  love,  that,  in  this  connection,  I  am 
his  debtor  for  all  these  afflictions ;  and  from  this  grow 
ing  experience  of  his  goodness,  I  am  encouraged,  and 
have  determined  to  leave  myself  with  him,  and  to  have 
no  will,  no  interest  of  my  own,  separate  from  his.  I 
have  been  renewing  the  dedication  of  myself  and  ser 
vices  to  Him,  with  as  entire  a  consent  of  heart  as  I 
think  myself  capable  of  feeling ;  and  with  that  calm 
acquiescence  in  Him,  as  my  portion  and  happiness, 
which  I  would  not  resign  for  ten  thousand  worlds." 

So  great  enjoyment  did  he  find  in  the  affectionate 
regards  and  good  conduct  of  his  church  as  a  body, 
that  none  of  the  many  invitations,  however  flattering, 
to  change  his  field  of  labor  were  entertained.  He 
had  calls  to  London  as  well  as  other  places,  where 
his  secular  interests  would  have  been  greatly  ad 
vanced;  but  he  loved  his  Northampton  friends  too 
well,  to  separate  himself  from  the  care  of  their  spirit 
ual  interests.  His  great  concern,  says  Orton,  was  to 
do  as  much  service  for  them,  and  be  as  little  burden 
some  to  them  as  possible ;  for  he  sought  not  theirs,  but 
them.  And  most  of  them,  in  return,  studied  to  honor 
and  serve  him,  to  strengthen  his  hands,  and  encourage 


248  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

his  labors.  He  reckoned  the  providence  which  fixed 
him  with  them  among  the  most  singular  blessings  of 
his  life ;  and  in  his  will,  bears  testimony  to  their  ex 
cellent  and  exemplary  character. 

Perhaps  no  view  more  truthful,  certainly  none 
more  touching,  can  be  obtained  of  the  fervent  love 
which  this  good  man  bore  to  his  people,  than  that 
which  we  gain  from  reading  some  provisions  in  his 
last  will  and  testament  for  their  spiritual,  and  also  their 
temporal  welfare,  after  they  should  see  his  face  and 
hear  his  voice  no  more.  Not  content  with  what  he 
could  do  for  them  while  he  lived,  he  sought  a  posthu 
mous  usefulness  among  their  beloved  families. 

"  As  for  my  body,  whenever  I  die,  it  is  my  desire 
that  it  may  be  buried,  at  as  moderate  an  expense  as 
decency  will  allow,  in  the  grave  which  I  have  pre 
pared  in  the  meeting-place  at  Northampton,  where  I 
have  spent  the  most  delightful  hours  of  my  life  in 
assisting  the  devotions  of  as  serious,  as  grateful,  and 
as  deserving  a  people  as  perhaps  any  minister  had 
ever  the  honor  and  happiness  to  serve;  cheerfully 
persuading  myself  that  when  I  am  dead  they  will 
hear  me  speaking  in  my  writings  with  all  due  regard, 
and  making  it  my  last  request  to  them  that  those  of 
them  who  have,  or  can  borrow  my  '  Family  Expositor/ 
will  read  it  over  in  their  families  once  at  least,  begin 
ning  it  the  Lord's  day  after  my  funeral ;  and  that  the} 
would  also  read  over  in  their  families  on  Lord's  daj 
evenings  all  my  sermons  which  they  have,  or  can  bor 
row,  especially  those  on  '  Regeneration,'  those  on  '  The 
Glory  and  Grace  of  Christ,'  the  '  Sermons  to  Young 
Persons,'  and  that  on  '  The  One  Thing  Needful.'  And 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  249 

I  desire  that  every  parent  that  can  procure  them 
would  read  in  their  retirements  my  '  Sermons  on  the 
Education  of  Children/  within  one  quarter  of  a  year 
at  least  after  my  death.  And  as  I  make  this  request 
from  an  affectionate  desire  for  the  edification  and  sal 
vation  of  souls,  and  a  humble  hope  that  in  conse 
quence  of  it  I  may  glorify  God  even  when  I  am  laid 
in  the  dust,  I  desire  that  this  clause  of  my  will  may 
be  read  in  the  congregation  the  Lord's  day  after  I 
am  buried,  and  mentioned  also  in  my  funeral-sermon, 
which  I  desire  my  dear  friend  Mr.  Orton  would  preach 
from  these  words,  *  Death  is  swallowed  up  in  victory, 
etc. :  thanks  be  to  God,  who  giveth  us  the  victory, 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  1  Cor.  15 : 54-57. 

"  As  a  small  token  of  my  respect  to  a  congregation 
on  many  accounts  so  dear  to  me,  I  leave  the  sum  of 
twenty  pounds,  to  be  distributed  at  the  discretion  of 
the  deacons  of  the  church  for  the  time  being,  in  no 
smaller  sums  than  five  shillings,  and  no  greater  than 
twenty  shillings,  to  each  person  among  such  poor 
Christians  as  statedly  attend  ordinances  among  us, 
desiring  that  their  prayers,  which  living  I  have  great 
ly  esteemed,  may  be  continued  for  the  afflicted  remains 
of  my  dear  family,  which  will  not,  I  am  persuaded,  be 
upon  the  whole  the  poorer  for  this  little  kindness  to 
those  whom  I  hope  they  will  consider  as  the  friends 
of  Christ,  and  will  delight  as  they  can  in  doing  them 
good. 

"  To  each  of  the  elders  of  the  church  for  the  time 
being  I  leave  a  guinea  for  a  ring,  and  to  each  of  the 
deacons  for  the  time  being  such  a  volume  of  my  ser 
mons  as  they  shall  choose,  handsomely  bound  in  black 

11* 


250  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

calf,  and  lettered ;  entreating  each  of  those  my  valua 
ble  friends  to  accept  this  little  token  of  my  cordial 
love,  and  to  continue  that  prudent  and  generous  care 
of  the  church,  and  that  mutual  affection  to  each  other, 
for  which  they  have  hitherto  been  so  happily  remark 
able." 

A  large  number  of  letters  might  here  be  intro 
duced,  showing  the  high  estimation  in  which  Dr.  Dod- 
dridge  was  generally  held  as  an  able  divine  and  a  model 
pastor;  of  these  a  few  only  are  given. 

In  the  early  part  of  1741,  Mr.  Benjamin  Fawcett, 
one  of  the  most  pious  and  devoted  of  Doddridge's 
students,  was  unanimously  chosen  pastor  at  Taunton, 
a  market-town  in  Somersetshire,  to  which  place  his 
honored  teacher  travelled  to  take  a  part  in  his  ordi 
nation  in  June  of  the  following  year  and  from  whence 
he  thus  wrote : 

To  Mrs.  Doddriclge. 

"  TAUNTON,  June  17,  1742. 

"  Your  delightful  letter  reached  me  here  on  Mon 
day  night,  just  after  I  was  returned  from  the  polite 
and  religious  family  of  the  Welmans,  the  glory  of  the 
dissenters  in  these  parts;  and  on  the  whole,  such  a 
family  for  all  that  is  great,  or  good,  as  I  never  before 
knew.  Their  only  fault  was  that  they  received  me 
with  almost  a  princely  elegance  and  magnificence  at 
a  table  much  fitter  for  an  archbishop  than  a  poor 
country  minister,  which  confounded  me  not  a  little. 
I  spent  the  day  there,  supped  there,  and  we  parted 
not  till  towards  ten  o'clock. 

"  Yesterday  I  preached  and  prayed  over  Mr.  Faw- 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  251 

cett.  We  had  I  suppose  near  two  thousand  persons 
present ;  of  whom  forty  were  ministers.  I  was  treat 
ed  by  them  with  a  deference  of  which  I  was  quite 
unworthy,  and  forced  by  them  to  submit  to  honors 
which  I  should  rather  have  bestowed  on  the  least  of 
my  brethren ;  and  bless  God  I  went  through  my  work 
with  cheerfulness,  though  I  had  no  sleep  the  night 
before.  All  this  morning  I  have  been  receiving 
visits." 

To  this  account  of  the  ordination  of  Mr.  Fawcett 
we  are  tempted  to  add  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  Joseph 
Williams,  whom  we  have  already  introduced  as  a 
correspondent  of  Doddridge,  a  short  narrative  of  Mr. 
Fawcett's  visit  to  Kidderminster,  and  his  call  to  the 
pastorate  there  in  1744.  Mr.  Williams  writes,  "We 
have  been  blest  with  the  presence  and  excellent  labors 
of  dear  Mr.  Fawcett,  from  whom  I  parted  last  Mon 
day  at  Worcester.  He  hath  our  hearts,  and  I  am  cer 
tain  we  have  his.  He  came  hither  on  the  seventeenth, 
preached  the  next  day  thrice,  preached  a  preparation 
sermon  on  Tuesday,  before  many  ministers,  and  last 
Lord's  day  preached  thrice,  and  administered  the 
Lord's  supper.  Such  a  sacramental  season  my  soul 
was  never  feasted  with  before.  I  could  most  gladly 
have  left  God's  lower  courts  and  this  lower  world 
together,  and  have  fled  up  to  the  realms  of  perfect 
blessedness.  Adored  be  the  divine  condescension  and 
grace  for  what  I  felt  most  sensibly  on  that  memorable 
day. 

"All  the  trustees  waited  on  Mr.  Fawcett  in  a 
body  in  the  vestry,  as  soon  as  he  had  finished  his  pub- 


252  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

lie  services,  and  presented  him  with  an  it 
cheerfully  signed  by  every  male  communicant  and 
male  subscriber;  and  as  soon  as  he  returned  to  his 
lodging,  three  youths  presented  him  with  a  very  press 
ing,  affectionate,  and  pious  address,  drawn  up  by  one 
of  them,  and  signed  by  more  than  thirty  young  men, 
of  whom  all  but  two  or  three  are  between  eighteen 
and  twenty-one,  and  the  sons  of  communicants." 

Thus  before  he  had  been  settled  at  Taunton  four 
years,  he  was  removed  to  Kidderminster. 

Of  Fawcett,  Dr.  James  Hamilton  has  well  said  in 
the  "  North  British  Review,"  "  His  sphere  for  five  and 
thirty  years  was  Kidderminster,  and  the  charge  im 
mortalized  by  the  name  of  Baxter.  Never  had  min 
ister  a  more  kindred  successor.  Not  only  did  Mr. 
Fawcett  adopt  the  Baxterian  theology,  and  attain  a 
goodly  measure  of  the  Baxterian  importunity  and 
pathos  in  preaching,  but  it  was  the  labor  of  his  leisure 
to  abridge  such  works  as  the  '  Saints'  Rest,'  and  the 
'  Call  to  the  Unconverted,'  and  '  Converse  with  God 
in  Solitude.'  It  is  easy  to  curtail  a  book.  With  pen 
and  scissors  any  man  may  make  a  long  treatise  short. 
But  it  is  not  so  easy  to  condense  a  book — preserving 
all  its  essence,  and  only  diminishing  its  volume.  But 
this  is  what  the  skill  of  Fawcett  has  effected  for  the 
copiousness  of  Baxter.  Relieving  the  work  of  cum 
brous  quotations  and  irrelevant  discussions,  he  has 
also  compressed  the  exuberant  phraseology,  but  so 
happily  that  it  still  retains  a  pleasing  fulness.  And 
while  the  condensation  has  increased  the  effectiveness 
of  the  composition,  with  the  tenderness  of  a  foster- 
father  he  has  sacrificed  nothing  which  the  author 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  253 

would  have  grieved  to  surrender.  Like  a  second  dis 
tillation,  the  entire  spirit  of  Baxter  still  is  there;  and 
like  a  bullet  after  it  has  passed  through  the  compress 
ing  machine,  the  bulk  is  diminished,  but  the  entire 
metal  remains,  and  the  momentum  is  increased.  In 
his  own  ministry,  Mr.  Fawcett  was  eminent  for  his 
abundant  labors  and  physical  energy.  In  his  hale 
constitution  and  hardihood  only  he  was  not  a  succes 
sor  of  Baxter.  Like  his  tutor  he  used  to  rise  every 
morning  at  five,  and  even  in  the  coldest  weather  he 
never  had  a  fire  in  his  study.  And  three  sermons  on 
Sabbath,  with  several  through  the  week,  seemed  only 
to  have  the  effect  of  a  wholesome  exercise." 

To  Mrs.  Doddridge. 

"  LONDON,  Aug.  9,  1742. 

"  Once  more,  my  dearest  love,  accept  my  thanks, 
my  wishes,  and  my  heart,  for  they  are  all  most  affec 
tionately  yours.  I  continue,  considering  my  labor, 
surprisingly  well.  Yesterday  I  preached  for  Mr. 
Godwin  to  a  vastly  crowded  auditory,  two  very  plain 
and  serious  sermons,  which  seemed  to  be  heard  with 
great  regard  and  attention.  If  God  be  pleased  to 
make  my  poor  endeavors  of  service  useful  in  propor 
tion  to  the  degree  in  which  they  seem  to  have  been 
acceptable,  during  this  nine  weeks'  absence  from  you, 
the  crown  of  all  my  earthly  joys  and  hopes  will  be 
complete.  But  if  it  be  his  blessed  will,  may  I  never 
more  know  what  it  is  to  be  another  nine  weeks  togeth 
er  separated  from  you;  for  indeed,  when  I  am  not 
engaged  in  some  public  service,  I  seem  to  be  but  a 
poor  fragment  of  myself. 

"  I  will  not  add  any  thing,  lest  the  letter  should  be 


254  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

delayed,  and  you  made  uneasy ;  for  next  to  offending 
God,  there  is  nothing  I  fear  so  much  as  grieving  my 
dear  wife;  and  next  to  pleasing  him,  nothing  I  desire 
so  much  as  pleasing  you.  I  hope  it  will  be  the  de 
lightful  business  of  all  the  remainder  of  my  life ;  and 
I  think  there  is  no  view  in  which  death  would  appear 
so  painful  to  me,  as  that  it  might  distress  you.  May 
the  blessings  of  providence  and  grace  meet  and  rest 
upon  you." 

In  the  closing  months  of  1744,  Dr.  Doddridge  was 
visited  with  a  dangerous  illness,  in  the  form  of  bilious 
fever,  which  for  some  time  threatened  his  life.  After 
his  recovery,  he  wrote  to  Dr.  Samuel  Clarke  in  this 
language :  "  A  violent  illness,  in  which  I  had  directed 
a  friend  to  beg  the  favor  of  you  to  come  over  and 
preach  my  funeral-sermon,  if  the  issue,  as  many  ex 
pected,  had  been  my  death,  prevented  my  answering 
your  most  obliging  and  affectionate  letter.  I  hope 
some  time  or  other  to  have  an  opportunity  of  telling 
you  and  your  dear  lady  how  God  supported  me  under 
my  greatest  extremity,  how  comfortable  he  made  a 
sick  bed — the  extremest  I  ever  knew  as  to  myself — 
to  my  soul,  and  how  remarkably  he  gave  me  back  to 
prayer." 

From  the  Rev.  Samuel  Wood. 

"  RENDHAM,  SAXMUNDHAM,  Feb.  21,  1745. 

"  MY  DEAR  FRIEND  AND  BROTHER  IN  AFFLICTION — - 
Very  lately  I  heard  of  your  dangerous  sickness,  by  a 
letter  from  London,  and  I  scarcely  know  of  any  thing 
which  could  have  given  me  equal  pain.  How  often 
have  I  wished  to  be  within  reach  of  you,  to  express 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  255 

my  sympathy  with  your  friends  and  family ;  but  what 
was  in  my  power  I  did,  and  that  was  to  recommend 
my  dear  friend  to  the  Father  of  mercies,  and  to  plead 
in  behalf  of  your  dear  family,  the  church,  and  the 
world,  that  God  would  spare  a  life  so  important,  and 
permit  us  a  little  longer  to  enjoy  your  labors  in  this 
world.  And  I  am  sure,  my  dear  friend,  that  if  I  ever 
pray  in  earnest,  I  do  so  when  I  am  pleading  for  you, 
and  I  doubt  not  that  you  have  many  in  the  world 
besides  your  own  dear  and  happy  people  whose  prac 
tice  in  this  particular  is  the  same  with  mine.  Long 
may  you  live,  my  dear  friend,  the  joy  of  the  churches, 
at  the  head  of  the  Protestant  dissenters,  their  crown 
and  glory ;  and  may  your  success  in  the  several  char 
acters  you  fill  up  with  so  much  diligence,  zeal,  and 
reputation,  be  answerable  to  your  utmost  wishes ;  and 
I  desire  from  my  heart  to  bless  God  that  we  have 
still  a  prospect  of  this  in  your  recovery. 

"  And  now,  dear  sir,  with  your  return  to  life  and 
service,  may  you  enter  upon  your  work  with  renewed 
vigor  and  delight ;  and  I  would  heartily  congratulate 
you  too,  my  dear  friend,  upon  that  which  I  dare  say 
you  can  never  forget,  your  joys  and  delightful  views 
when  death  seemed  ready  to  open  you  a  door  into 
eternity.  I  have  heard  of  your  thoughts  and  expres 
sions  in  the  near  prospect  of  another  world,  and  can 
not  wonder  that  you  should  have  earnestly  longed  for 
a  fulness  of  divine  enjoyment.  In  this  case  I  perceive, 
contrary  to  all  the  wishes  of  your  friends,  you  desired 
to  be  gone,  and  found  great  difficulty  to  be  reconciled 
to  stay  any  longer  among  us.  I  hope,  however,  dear 
sir,  that  though  you  are  a  little  detained  from  the 


256  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

intimate  fruition  of  your  God  and  Saviour  in  heaven, 
you  will  abundantly  find  that  it  is  for  the  good  of  the 
church,  and  of  the  world,  that  your  continuance  with 
us  has  been  protracted ;  and  I  am  sure  the  pious  and 
benevolent  heart  of  Dr.  Doddridge  will  not  repine 
that  heaven  is  deferred  for  a  few  years,  but  rather 
rejoice  with  exceeding  joy  for  such  an  opportunity  of 
glorifying  God,  which  he  could  not  have  had  in  the 
world  above,  where  there  are  no  sinners  to  be  con 
verted,  nor  saints  that  need  to  be  edified. 

"  Adieu,  dear  sir ;  beware  of  putting  too  much  on 
yourself,  and  think  of  this  so  often  as  you  remember 
your  unworthy  brother,  friend,  and  humble  servant, 

"SAMUEL  WOOD." 

The  Rev.  John  Barker  was  one  of  the  most  inti 
mate  friends  and  most  frequent  correspondents  of 
Doddridge.  He  enjoyed  a  high  fame  for  learning 
and  moral  excellence,  and  was  considered  one  of  the 
most  eloquent  preachers  of  his  day.  He  succeeded 
the  distinguished  Matthew  Henry  in  the  charge  of  the 
church  at  Hackney,  then  several  miles  from  London, 
but  removed  to  Salter's  Hall  in  the  city  in  1741, 
where  Doddridge  was  invited  to  join  him.  In  a  letter 
to  Dr.  Doddridge,  yet  unpublished,  Mrs.  Doddridge 
says,  in  reference  to  this  call,  "  I  am  concerned  to  hear 
of  good  Mr.  Numan's  death ;  I  allow  the  temptation 
is  very  strong,  and  I  think  if  you  can  withstand  it,  as 
I  believe  you  will,  it  is  one  of  the  greatest  proofs  of 
your  affection  for  Northampton  that  you  may  perhaps 
ever  have  it  in  your  power  to  give ;  as  I  believe  there 
is  hardly  a  person  in  the  world  that  you  would  think 
yourself  so  happy  in  joining  with  as  good  Mr.  Barker." 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  251 

Mr.  Barker  was  a  warm  devotee  to  civil  and 
religious  freedom,  and  was  very  active  and  useful  in 
advancing  his  friend's  interest  in  the  case  of  his 
prosecution,  or  rather  persecution,  in  reference  to  his 
academy.  We  may  add  here,  that  when  President 
Davies,  some  years  afterwards,  visited  London  on 
behalf  of  the  college  in  New  Jersey,  he  recorded 
kindness  received  from  this  distinguished  man.  In 
1719,  when  the  London  ministers  met  at  Salter's  Hall 
to  discuss  the  importance  of  a  subscription  to  the 
doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  Mr.  Barker  strenuously  sus 
tained  that  measure. 

From  the  Rev.  John  Barker. 

"March  26,  1745. 

"  I  hear  you  have  been  sick,  nigh  unto  death,  but 
God  has  had  mercy  on  you,  and  on  his  churches,  and 
ministers  also,  that  we  might  not  have  sorrow  upon 
sorrow. 

"  I  wish  you  would  not  make  so  free  with  your 
constitution ;  you  really  do  what  you  ought  not.  You 
have  not  so  much  mercy  on  your  body  as  on  your 
beast.  May  not  a  man  be  intemperate  in  labor,  as 
well  as  in  liquor  ?  Pray  let  your  friends  hear  of  your 
moderation.  Begin  to  take  upon  you  a  little  caution, 
and  put  on  the  gravity  of  a  doctor  now,  instead  of  the 
sprightliness  of  a  young  divine.  Do  not  engage  in 
so  many  things.  A  gentleman  whose  judgment  you 
value  told  me  he  wanted  very  much  to  see  an  expo 
sition  of  yours  upon  the  Romans,  and  I  added,  upon 
the  Revelation  too,  which  is  near  akin  to  it;  'but 
we  must  live  upon  hope  till  he  will  contract  his  views, 
and  spare  himself.' 


258  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

"  May  the  great  Lord  of  the  vineyard  do  you  more 
and  more  honor,  and  strengthen  you  in  body  and  soul. 
We  unite  in  services  to  you  and  yours. 

"  I  am  yours  as  much  as  your  heart  can  wish, 

"  JOHN  BARKER." 
To  the  Rev.  Samuel  Wood. 

"  NORTHAMPTON,  May  19,  1745. 

"  I  cannot  sufficiently  thank  you  for  so  large  and 
constant  remembrance  in  the  prayers  of  one  of  the 
best  of  men;  nor  can  I  sufficiently  thank  God,  who 
thus  lays  me  on  your  heart.  I  earnestly  beg  the  con 
tinuance  of  that  kind  remembrance,  as  I  greatly  need 
it,  not  only  with  respect  to  the  state  of  my  health, 
which  is  again  a  good  deal  shaken,  but  on  account  of 
that  exceeding  great  burden  which  now  lies  upon  me, 
in  consequence  of  the  scandalous  behavior  of  a  person 
who,  though  low  in  circumstances,  has  been  eminently 
distinguished  by  his  religious  profession.  This,  joined 
to  the  coldness  and  deadness  that  I  find  among  many 
professors,  and  the  want  of  a  becoming  spirituality 
and  zeal  in  some  intended  for  the  ministry,  and  a  pro 
pensity  towards  some  principles  which  seem  to  me  very 
injurious  to  Christianity,  if  not  quite  subversive  of  it, 
press  heavily  upon  my  heart ;  yet  I  bless  God  I  am  at 
tempting  a  little  to  remedy  these  things.  But  Oh,  who 
can  say  he  does  his  best,  the  best  even  of  his  little  ? 

"  You  write,  my  dear  friend,  as  knowing  but  little 
of  me.  I  have  the  greatest  reason  to  be  continually 
humbled  before  God,  as  a  very  unprofitable  servant; 
and  life  would  be  a  burden  to  me,  and  death  a  terror, 
if  it  were  not  for  the  encouragement  I  draw  from  the 
manifestations  of  the  free  grace  of  God  in  the  gospel, 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  259 

and  the  provision  he  has  there  made  for  rendering  us 
'accepted  in  the  Beloved.'  When  I  see  what  Christi 
anity  is,  and  see  how  it  is  trampled  upon  in  the  world, 
and  how  little  vital  energy  it  has  even  on  those  who 
speculatively  believe  it,  I  am  astonished  at  the  divine 
patience,  and  cannot  but  wish,  with  humble  submis 
sion  to  the  great  Lord  of  life,  to  escape  from  this  sad 
scene  of  things  which  I  can  do  so  little,  so  very  little 
to  mend.  But  you,  and  a  very  few  who  are  like  you, 
make  it  easier  to  be  reconciled  to  earth,  and  greatly 
help  my  conceptions  of  heaven. 

"  I  rejoice  in  the  hope  of  seeing  you  and  your  dear 
lady  at  Norwich ;  but  whether  I  shall  come  with  or 
without  my  wife,  whether  I  shall  go  to  Kent  through 
Suffolk,  or  come  directly  back  to  Northampton  when 
the  ordination  is  over,  I  cannot  yet  so  much  as  conjec 
ture.  Only  this  I  know,  that  you,  and  my  other  dear 
brethren  and  friends  whom  you  mention,  have  so  large 
a  share  in  my  heart,  that  to  refuse  any  request  you  can 
make  will,  if  ever  so  necessary,  be  very  painful  to, 

"Dear  good  man,  your  affectionate  brother,  and 
faithful  humble  servant." 

From  Miss  Scott 

"NORWICH,  May  20,  1745. 

"Had  my  spirits  been  much  less  depressed  than 
they  were  at  the  reception  of  your  last,  I  know  not 
how  they  could  have  supported  the  overwhelming  ten 
derness  it  expressed.  Oh,  how  is  it  that  I  have  such 
a  friend ;  that  I  should  be  so  dear  to  one  so  dear  to 
God !  This,  were  my  case  but  such  as  you  have  paint 
ed  it  to  yourself,  would  give  a  cheering  hope  that  so 
powerful,  so  fervent  an  intercessor  at  the  throne  of 


260  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

grace  could  not  fail  of  obtaining  the  desired  blessing. 
But,  alas,  it  is  infinitely  more  unhappy.  Shall  I  open 
a  melancholy  scene,  which,  to  spare  you,  I  have  kept 
concealed  ?  The  malady  lies  deep  within.  Shall  I 
refer  you  to  your  own  description  of  the  vile  apostate, 
and  then  tell  you  you  may  read  the  case  of  her  you 
have  honored  with  the  name  of  friend  ?  How  will 
your  tender  heart  support  the  shock?  No,  dearest 
sir,  it  is  not  a  threatening  distemper  of  the  body,  it  is 
not  a  dreadfully  disordered  set  of  nerves,  I  am  alone 
conflicting  with  and  sinking  under ;  but  a  guilty,  selfish, 
condemning  conscience,  a  hard  unbelieving  heart,  a 
frowning  God,  a  withdrawn  Spirit.  While  I  endure 
the  terror  of  these  I  am  driven  sometimes  into  stupid 
ity,  at  others,  almost  despair.  I  know  the  mercies  of 
God  are  infinite ;  I  know  that  with  him  there  is  plen 
teous  redemption.  I  strive  to  repent,  and  embrace 
those  mercies,  and  that  redemption  in  the  Saviour; 
but,  alas,  all  seems  in  vain.  I  cry  for  the  Spirit  to 
aid  my  feeble  attempts,  to  turn  me  to  the  God  from 
whom  I  have  revolted,  but  I  cry  in  vain;  yes,  I  am 
ready  to  give  up  all,  till  some  new  alarm  from  the 
body,  or  new  horror  thrown  into  the  mind,  again 
arouses  me  to  repeated  cries.  Oh,  dearest  sir,  if 
friendship  can  survive  the  damp  this  description  may 
well  throw  upon  it,  let  it  exert  itself  in  the  warmest 
prayers  for  an  unhappy  and  most  unworthy  creature. 
"  I  have  a  dear  comforter  and  warm  intercessor 
with  me  in  the  tenderest  of  parents.  He  pours  balm 
into  my  wounds,  he  wrestles  hard  in  prayer  for  me, 
but  hitherto  so  unsuccessfully  that  I  am  ready  to  apply 
those  awful  words  to  my  own  case,  'Though  Noah, 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  261 

Daniel,  and  Job  stood  before  me,  my  heart  could  not 
be  toward/  etc.  But  who  knows  what  continued  and 
united  cries  may  do  ?  Perhaps  that  awful  sentence  is 
not  yet  passed.  If  such  hearts  as  his  and  yours  are 
drawn  out  to  wrestle  for  "me,  I  would  yet  indulge  a 
hope  even  against  hope. 

"  I  have  renounced  every  pleasure.  I  have  made 
it  my  prayer,  and  charged  my  heart  that  it  take  none 
in  any  thing  until  it  can  find  it  in  a  reconciled  God. 
I  hope  it  is  not  inconsistent  herewith  to  say  that  I 
long  to  see  the  dearest  of  all  absent  friends,  for 
how  much  shame  and  grief  must  on  my  part  mingle 
itself  with  that  otherwise  delightful  interview,  if  I  am 
permitted  to  enjoy  it.  But  for  dear  Mrs.  Doddridge  I 
doubt  I  must  resign  that  pleasing  hope,  for  though  my 
father  and  the  deacons  readily  agreed  to  postpone  the 
ordination  to  the  time  most  suitable  to  you,  yet  it 
being  found  that  some  of  the  chief  of  our  friends,  par 
ticularly  Major  Balderstone  and  his  brother,  were 
necessitated  to  be  absent  on  business,  they  feel  them 
selves,  though  with  much  regret,  obliged  to  beg  your 
presence  at  the  time  first  named.  My  letter  is  waited 
for,  and  I  can  therefore  only  add  my  entreaties  for 
your  prayers  for  my  dearest  father,  whom  you  may 
easily  believe  to  be  greatly  afflicted.  Our  best  ser 
vices  to  you,  dear  sir,  and  your  much  esteemed  lady, 
with  the  assurance  that  I  am  the  most  respectful, 
affectionate,  and  grateful  of  your  servants, 

"E.  SCOTT." 

From  the  Rev.  Thomas  Scott. 

"This  letter  is  now  waited  for  by  a  gentleman 
who  is  come  from  Norwich  to  our  country  lodgings, 


262  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

and  I  must  therefore  be  short.  You  may  be  sure,  very 
honored  and  dear  sir,  it  is  with  great  regret  to  me 
that  the  state  of  affairs  among  us  obliges  us  to  hold 
to  the  time  first  fixed,  even  after  we  had  all  agreed  to 
alter  it  for  your  and  Mrs.  Doddridge's  sake ;  but  I 
hope,  by  a  passage  in  your  last,  that  we  shall  not  be 
disappointed  of  so  great  a  blessing  as  we  expect  from 
your  company  and  assistance,  public  and  private. 
You  may  imagine  how  wounding  the  case  of  my 
dearest  child  is :  for  some  months  she  has  been  striv 
ing  with  all  her  power  for  repentance,  faith,  hope, 
love,  sanctification,  and  obedience;  but  thinks  these 
pains  all  in  vain,  which  overwhelms  her;  and  you 
may  be  sure  the  lowness  of  her  nervous  system  helps 
the  disorder,  as  this  does  that.  I  believe  a  sincerer 
creature  there  is  none  upon  earth,  and  my  prayers 
and  endeavors  are  continually  with  and  for  her,  and 
I  expect  to  see  her  freed  from  the  troubles  of  her 
mind  in  a  while,  and  long  that  you  may  come  in  the 
fulness  of  the  blessing  of  the  gospel,  in  yourself,  and 
see  her.  And  in  the  mean  time  I  shall,  now  she  has 
opened  her  mind  to  you,  look  for  a  great  effect  from 
your  sympathy  and  supplications,  and  do  beg  them  as 
on  my  knees.  But  I  know  your  love  will  render  it 
impossible  for  you  not  frequently  and  pathetically  to 
recommend  us  both." 

To  Miss  Scott. 

"June  25,  1745. 

"  I  return  you  my  most  affectionate  thanks  for  the 
freedom  with  which  you  have  opened  your  mind  to 
me,  both  by  repeated  and  unreserved  conversations, 
and  by  a  communication  of  papers  intended  entirely 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  263 

for  your  own  use.  The  consequence,  I  most  faithfully 
assure  you,  is,  that  the  more  I  know  you  the  more 
firmly  am  I  convinced,  not  only  that  you  are  a  real, 
but  that  you  are  a  very  advanced  Christian.  I  have 
already  pointed  out  the  principles  on  which  I  build 
this  conclusion.  But  as  I  have  not  yet  been  so  happy 
as  to  remove  your  remaining  difficulties,  give  me  leave 
in  this  letter  to  lay  before  you  some  hints  as  to  what 
I  apprehend  may  be  the  cause,  and  by  a  divine  bless 
ing,  in  some  measure  at  least,  the  cure  of  the  anxiety 
which  so  much  harasses  your  mind. 

"  And  pardon  me  if,  in  this  strait  of  time,  and  in 
this  hour  which,  with  pleasure  for  your  service,  I  take 
from  my  sleep,  before  the  journey  and  labors  of  to 
morrow,  I  do  not  touch  upon  particulars,  and  give 
short  hints  instead  of  illustrating,  or  reasoning  upon 
them  at  large. 

"  Now  as  to  the  causes  of  your  present  distress,  I 
apprehend  the  following,  among  others,  are  the  chief 
and  most  peculiar ;  for  I  shall  not  mention  those  two 
grand  cardinal  sources  of  all  our  distress,  the  remain 
der  of  sin  in  the  best  hearts  while  they  continue  here, 
and  the  artifice  and  malice  of  our  common  enemy. 
What  are  most  peculiar  seem  to  be, 

"  1.  The  weakness  of  animal  nature,  which,  after 
the  attacks  you  have  borne,  must  necessarily  be  very 
feeble,  unless  it  had  been  strengthened  by  a  miracle, 
which,  even  in  such  a  case,  we  have  no  warrant  to 
expect. 

"  2.  The  extraordinary  elevation  of  devotion  which 
at  some  times  you  have  known,  and  particularly  when 
you  were  first  setting  out  in  religion. 


264  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

"3.  In  consequence  of  this,  an  ardent  desire  of 
equalling  all  your  former  fervor  of  devotion  in  the 
present  infirm  state  of  your  health;  by  the  very  desire 
and  endeavor  of  which,  I  heartily  wish  that  you  may 
not  utterly  ruin  it. 

"  4.  A  hard  and  unjust  conclusion  which  you  have 
hence  drawn  against  yourself,  that  excites  an  indig 
nation  against  yourself,  as  if  you  were  one  of  the  most 
ungrateful  and  criminal  of  our  race,  which  you  think 
you  can  never  feel  with  sufficient  sensibility. 

"  5.  The  sublime  ideas  which  you  have  formed  to 
yourself  of  the  spiritual  life,  in  which  you  seem  not  to 
make  sufficient  allowance  either  for  the  natural  infir 
mities  of  this  our  animal  frame  when  in  its  best  state, 
nor  for  the  avocations  inseparable  from  the  life  of  one 
who  is  not  absolutely  a  recluse  from  the  world.  I 
really  apprehend  these  to  be  the  causes  of  your  dis 
quietude. 

"  With  relation  to  the  proper  method  of  cure,  the 
following  particulars  present  themselves,  which  I  wish 
I  had  time  better  to  express  and  digest. 

"  1.  To  lay  it  down  as  a  certain  principle  that 
religion  consists  more  in  an  intelligent,  rational,  and 
determinate  choice  of  the  will,  than  in  any  ardent 
transport  of  the  affections. 

"  2.  To  consider  that  there  is  a  certain  degree  of 
afflicting  ourselves  for  past  sins,  and  for  present  im 
perfections,  which  is  so  far  from  being  our  duty,  that 
it  is  very  likely  to  prove  a  snare,  and  to  produce  con 
sequences  displeasing  to  our  gracious  Father  in  heav 
en,  and  injurious  both  to  ourselves  and  others. 

"  3.  Settle  it  deliberately  in  your  understanding 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  265 

as  a  certain  truth,  that  the  grand  security  of  the  soul 
lies  in  deliberately  entrusting  itself  to  Christ,  as  cho 
sen  in  all  his  offices ;  and  in  devoting  itself  to  God 
through  him,  according  to  the  tenor  of  the  Christian 
covenant;  and  in  steadily  endeavoring  to  practise 
what  the  word  of  God  requires,  and  to  forbear  every 
thing  which  it  forbids,  and  in  referring  all  its  concerns, 
not  excepting  even  the  degree  of  its  spiritual  comfort 
and  enjoyment,  to  his  wise  and  gracious  determination. 

"  4.  In  consequence  of  this,  be  often,  and  indeed 
daily,  renewing  your  covenant  with  God,  in  the  man 
ner  which  the  most  excellent  servant  of  Christ,  your 
ever  honored  and  beloved  father,  has  so  intelligently, 
affectionately,  and  frequently  recommended. 

"  5.  Let  your  devotions  be  reduced  within  narrow 
limits,  and  be  rather  frequent  and  short,  than  pro 
tracted  to  any  great  length;  and  in  your  addresses 
at  the  throne  of  grace,  be  more  intent  upon  the  sin 
cerity  of  the  heart,  and  the  calm  fixedness  of  the 
thoughts,  than  about  the  flow  of  the  affections,  which 
are  not  and  cannot  be  immediately  in  our  own  power, 
but  may,  humanly  speaking,  depend  upon  a  thousand 
physical  causes,  the  nature  of  which  we  do  not  so 
much  as  imagine. 

"6.  Consider  how  much  of  religion  consists  in 
trusting  in  God,  in  hoping  in  his  mercy,  and  in  rejoic 
ing  in  him;  and  how  suitable  this  is  to  the  peculiar 
constitution  of  the  gospel,  and  the  character  which 
Christ  our  Mediator  bears ;  by  consequence,  therefore, 
how  essential  a  branch  of  gratitude  it  is,  and  how 
much  a  tender  conscience  should  be  upon  its  guard, 
that  it  does  not  fail  here. 

12 


266  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

"  7.  Eemember  continually  that  after  all  it  is  bj 
faith  in  the  merits  and  intercession  of  Christ,  and  not 
by  the  perfection  of  our  works,  that  we  are  to  obtain 
justification  and  life ;  and  that  the  best  of  Christians, 
while  they  are  in  this  world,  have  their  imperfections, 
and  may,  and  must,  under  a  sense  of  them,  apply  daily 
to  the  great  Advocate,  and  renew  the  actings  of  their 
faith  upon  his  efficacious  blood  and  intercession. 

"  8.  Make  yourself  familiarly  acquainted  with  the 
promises  of  God  relating  to  the  pardon  of  sin,  the 
imparting  of  grace  to  the  soul  that  seeks  it ;  choose 
for  some  time  every  morning  some  comfortable  prom 
ise  to  be  the  subject  of  your  meditation;  and  now 
and  then  employ  that  fine  talent  which  God  has  given 
you  for  poetical  composition  in  paraphrasing  such 
scriptures  in  short  hymns. 

"  9.  Endeavor  to  exert  yourself  as  much  as  possi 
ble  in  attempts  of  usefulness  by  conversing  with  the 
children  who  are  so  happy  as  to  be  the  objects  of  your 
pious  care,  and  with  those  persons  who  are  in  circum 
stances  that  bear  any  resemblance  to  your  own. 

"10.  Disburden  yourself  as  much  as  possible  of 
every  anxious  thought  relating  to  futurity,  whether 
regarding  temporal  things  or  spiritual,  confine  your 
views  to  present  duties,  and  leave  future  contingencies 
in  the  hands  of  God. 

"11.  Be  thankful  for  the  least  glimmering  of  hope, 
and  for  any  kind  and  degree  of  consolation  which 
God  is  pleased  to  give  you ;  and  take  great  heed  that 
you  do  not  suspect  those  comforts  which  lead  you  to 
God  and  happiness  to  be  delusions,  merely  because 
they  are  not  so  permanent  and  effectual  as  you  could 


MINISTRY  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  267 

wish,  lest  you  should  grieve  that  great  Agent  to  whom 
you  are  so  highly  obliged,  and  whom  you  fear  so  ten 
derly  to  grieve. 

"  12.  In  one  word,  study  by  all  means  to  nourish 
the  love  of  God  in  your  heart;  breathe  forth  with 
humble  tenderness  the  genuine  impressions  of  it ;  and 
as  human  nature  must  have  its  weary  intervals,  delight 
to  look  to  God  in  them  as  a  being  who  penetrates  the 
inmost  recesses  of  the  heart,  and  sees  that  secret  ten 
dency  of  soul  to  him,  which  I  have  neither  tears  nor 
words  to  express :  '  Lord,  thou  knowest  that  I  love 
thee,'  or  that  I  would;  'Thou  knowest  I  would  pre 
fer  the  sensible  exercises  of  it  to  any  other  delight.' 
By  this  method  the  habits  of  divine  love  will  strength" 
en;  and  I  verily  believe  that  time  will  at  length 
produce  such  a  consciousness  of  it,  that  you  will  be  no 
more  able  to  doubt  of  a  share  in  it  than  of  your  own 
existence. 

"  Your  most  affectionate  friend  and  faithful  hum* 

ble  servant, 

"P.  DODDRIDGE." 

It  is  pleasant  to  state  here  that  this  excellent  lady 
happily  recovered  from  this  state  of  mental  distress, 
and  in  1751  became  the  second  wife  of  the  Rev.  Elisha 
Williams,  who  had  been  rector  of  Yale  College,  and 
who  visited  England  on  public  business  at  the  close 
of  1749.  Of  Mr.  Williams,  Doddridge,  as  quoted  by 
Dr.  Sprague,  in  his  "  Annals  of  the  American  Pulpit," 
said,  "  I  look  upon  him  to  be  one  of  the  most  valuable 
men  upon  earth ;  he  has,  joined  to  an  ardent  sense  of 
religion,  solid  learning,  consummate  prudence,  great 
candor  and  sweetness  of  temper,  and  a  certain  noble- 


268  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

ness  of  soul  capable  of  contriving  and  acting  the 
greatest  things  without  seeming  to  be  conscious  of 
having  done  them."  Mrs.  Williams  became  known 
in  this  country,  as  she  had  been  in  England,  as  an 
eminent  literary  lady,  and  some  of  her  writings  yet 
remain  to  do  good.  In  1755.  Mr.  Williams  died 
happy  in  God,  after  which  Mrs.  Williams  was  married 
to  the  Hon.  William  Smith  of  New  York,  whom  she 
also  survived.  Her  death  took  place  at  Wether sfield, 
Conn.,  in  1776,  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight  years. 


HIS  ACADEMICAL  CHARGE.  269 


CHAPTER  V. 

DR.  DODDRIDGE'S  ACADEMICAL  AND    THEOLOG 
ICAL  INSTRUCTIONS. 

A  BRIEF  account  lias  been  already  given  of  the 
founding  of  Dr.  Doddridge's  academy  at  Harborough 
in  the  year  1729.  One  of  the  most  interesting  public 
incidents  connected  with  it  was  the  prosecution  which 
was  instituted  against  Dr.  Doddridge,  after  his  re 
moval  to  Northampton,  for  conducting  his  academy 
without  the  license  of  the  Episcopal  chancellor  of 
that  diocese.  It  awakened  some  painful  apprehen 
sions  at  first  in  the  mind  of  Dr.  Doddridge,  and  gave 
him  much  trouble ;  but  by  the  energetic  assistance  of 
the  Earl  of  Halifax,  and  other  eminent  friends,  the 
case,  when  tried  at  Westminster  Hall,  was  decided  in 
favor  of  Dr.  Doddridge ;  .but  as  that  decision  might 
not  prevent  a  renewal  of  the  prosecution  in  some  other 
form  to  his  great  annoyance,  such  a  representation 
was  made  by  some  influential  friends  to  His  Majesty 
George  II.,  of  the  worthy  character,  loyal  and  mode 
rate  principles,  and  eminent  abilities  of  Dr.  Doddridge, 
that  an  express  command  was  issued  from  his  majesty, 
that  all  further  prosecution  of  the  matter  should  be 
discontinued,  in  accordance  with  the  laudable  maxim 
which  his  majesty  had  adopted,  that  during  his  reign 
there  should  be  no  persecution  for  conscience7  sake. 
After  this,  Dr.  Doddridge  was  allowed  to  pursue  his 
career  as  the  instructor  of  a  dissenting  academy  with 
out  further  molestation  or  annoyance  from  an  ecclesi- 


270  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

astical  quarter.  Yet  in  1733  his  house  was  assailed 
by  a  Jacobite  mob,  the  chief  agents  in  which  were, 
however,  discovered  and  punished  by  the  civil  mag 
istrate. 

The  fame  of  Doddridge  had  reached  the  court,  not 
only  in  connection  with  his  persecutions,  but  in  the 
excellence  of  his  works.  The  oldest  son  of  George 
II.,  and  father  of  George  III.,  died  during  his  father's 
reign,  in  the  forty-fifth  year  of  his  age.  As  Prince  of 
Wales,  and  heir  to  the  British  throne,  he  had  great  in 
fluence  ;  and  he  opposed  the  infidelity  of  Bolingbroke 
and  Chesterfield,  in  consequence  of  reading  the  works 
of  Dr.  Doddridge,  which  had  made  a  deep  impression 
on  his  mind.  His  sudden  death  excited  deep  sorrow, 
but  his  pious  friends  were  cheered  by  the  recollection 
of  his  piety,  which  had  been  thus  cherished.  The 
Princess  of  Wales  also  very  readily  allowed  Dr. 
Doddridge  to  dedicate  to  her  his  "Family  Exposi 
tor,"  and  afterwards  expressed  the  great  pleasure  she 
enjoyed  in  reading  it. 

We  may  add  to  this  statement  another  made  to 
the  Rev.  John  Stoughton  by  a  gentleman  who  held 
an  appointment  under  George  III.,  at  Windsor  cas 
tle,  to  whom  the  king  said,  "  If  I  know  any  thing 
of  religion,  I  owe  it  to  Dr.  Ayscough,  and  that  at  an 
early  age."  Dr.  Ayscough  was  a  friend  and  corre 
spondent  of  Doddridge,  and  wrote  to  him  in  Febru 
ary,  1745,  "I  must  tell  you  Prince  George,  to  his 
honor,  and  my  shame,  has  learned  several  pages  in 
your  little  book  of  verses,  [Principles  of  the  Christian 
Religion,]  without  any  direction  from  me." 

The  following  is  part  of  an  interesting  correspond- 


HIS  ACADEMICAL  CHARGE.  2U 

ence  to  which  the  above-mentioned  persecution  gave 
birth.  It  illustrates  some  of  the  annoyances  to  which 
dissenters  were  at  that  period  exposed;  and  shows 
the  spirit  and  ability  of  Dr.  Doddridge. 

To  the  Earl  of  Halifax. 

"  NORTHAMPTON,  1732. 

"  MY  LORD — An  affair  has  occurred  which  obliges 
me  to  refer  to  your  lordship  for  advice  and  protection, 
not  only  as  a  favor  to  myself  and  my  friends  in  this 
county,  but  as  one  to  the  whole  body  of  the  king's 
Protestant,  dissenting  subjects;  it  being  a  case  in 
which  their  civil  rank,  welfare,  and  liberties  are 
apparently  concerned. 

"  On  Tuesday  last  there  was  a  diocesan  visitation' 
at  Northampton,  when  Chancellor  Reynolds  was 
pleased  to  address  a  pretty  long  and  warm  harangue 
to  the  church-wardens  of  the  parish  in  which  I  live. 
The  substance  of  it  was,  to  use  his  own  words,  that 
'  he  was  informed  that  there  was  a  fellow  in  their  par 
ish  who  taught  a  grammar-school/  which  he  had  the 
assurance  to  call  my  academy,  'as  he  supposed  without 
any  license  from  the  bishop ;'  and  ordered  them,  there 
fore,  to  examine  whether  I  had  such  a  license,  and  if 
I  had  not,  to  present  me,  so  that  I  might  be  prosecuted 
according  to  law. 

"  Considering  the  great  decency  and  candor  with 
which  the  chancellor  and  several  of  his  family  have 
been  pleased  to  use  my  name  and  character  in  a  great 
variety  of  companies,  I  should  have  wondered  at  the 
contemptuous  style,  and  indeed,  my  lord,  I  had  almost 
said  brutal  rudeness,  of  some  of  this  language,  had  I 
not  well  known  that  where  the  spirit  of  the  ecclesias- 


272  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

tic  begins,  the  politeness  of  the  gentleman  and  the 
moderation  of  the  Christian  must  of  course  end. 
'  Non  bene  conveniunt,  nee  in  una  sede  inveniuntur.'* 
But  arms  of  this  kind  hurt  the  person  against  whom 
they  are  levelled  as  little  as  they  honor  him  by  whom 
they  are  used ;  nor  am  I  at  all  concerned  about  them. 
The  question  here  is  not  how  far  the  decency  and 
moderation,  but  the  law  of  these  spiritual  men  will 
extend. 

"  Your  lordship  knows  that '  this  fellow/  who  has 
the  honor  of  being  Lord  Halifax's  most  humble  ser 
vant  as  faithfully  as  this  chancellor  or  any  of  his 
courtiers,  has  been  and  is  trusted  by  many  of  the  most 
considerable  persons  among  the  Dissenters,  under  a 
public  character  ;  and  has  in  his  hands  the  education 
of  several  gentlemen  intended  for  the  learned  pro 
fessions,  who  have  finished  their  studies  at  grammar- 
schools  ;  and  perhaps  you  may  have  heard  that  a  so 
ciety  of  the  principal  dissenting  ministers  and  other 
gentlemen  in  London,  has  favored  me  with  a  pecul 
iar  token  of  respect,  never  before  extended  to  any 
tutor  in  the  country,  by  making  me  a  grant  towards 
the  expense  of  an  apparatus  for  lectures  on  experi 
mental  philosophy,  out  of  the  public  monies  deposited 
in  their  hands.  I  hope,  therefore,  I  may  without  van 
ity  say,  that  I  can  reasonably  expect  the  countenance 
and  support  of  a  considerable  number  of  persons,  if 
I  am  prosecuted  as  a  dissenting  tutor.  Nor  can  I 
think  that  I  am  called  upon  to  act  as  I  might  do  in 
any  private  case,  in  a  matter  where  my  public  charac- 

*  They  do  not  well  agree,  nor  are  found  sitting  in  the 
same  chair. 


HIS  ACADEMICAL  CHARGE.  273 

ter  and  our  common  liberties  are  concerned,  and  that 
so  nearly.  I  am  determined  therefore  to  make  no 
unnecessary  submission,  nor  to  pay  any  compliment  to 
these  reverend  gentlemen  from  which  I  may  be  le 
gally  excused,  lest  they  should  consider  it  as  an  en 
couragement  to  pursue  further  attacks  upon  my  breth 
ren.  What  the  law  of  England  requires  I  will  sub 
mit  to  as  far  as  I  can  with  a  safe  conscience;  but  if 
there  be  any  thing  which  it  is  matter  of  duty  to  con 
test,  it  seems  very  proper,  my  lord,  that  it  should  be 
determined.  We  may  then  know  on  what  ground  we 
stand ;  for  I  am  sure  that  if  we  are  to  depend  upon 
the  sovereign  pleasure  of  a  bishop  to  license  school 
masters,  or  even  tutors,  we  shall  owe  our  best  priv 
ileges,  as  British  subjects,  to  convenience  and  caprice, 
rather  than  to  the  law  of  the  realm ;  and,  what  I  never 
imagined,  shall  be  more  obliged  to  the  lenity  of  our 
ecclesiastical,  than  to  the  equity  of  our  civil  govern 
ors. 

"  Be  it  as  it  will,  I  cannot  persuade  myself  to  bear 
any  unnecessary  burden  under  the  present  adminis 
tration  ;  nor  could  I  ever  have  been  attacked  at  a  time 
when  I  should  have  been  more  sanguine  of  meeting 
with  just  protection.  The  kindest  things  imaginable 
have  been  lately  said  of  the  Dissenters  by  public 
writers,  who  are  apparently  under  the  direction  of 
the  ministry;  and  I  believe  the  government,  as  it  is 
now  happily  settled  and  administered,  will  find  the 
Dissenters  as  firm  and  warm  in  its  support  as  they 
have  ever  been.  I  am  sure,  my  lord,  I  am  here  la 
boring  to  the  utmost  to  engage  all  within  my  influ 
ence  to  be  good  subjects ;  and  indeed  things  appear 

12* 


274  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

much  more  favorable  than  they  did  when  I  had  the 
honor  of  writing  to  your  lordship  last.  In  the  mean 
time,  it  would  be  both  weak  and  ungrateful  for  us  to 
question  the  readiness  of  the  court  to  do  us  not  only 
justice  but  favor ;  for  to  leave  us  a  prey  to  our  en 
emies  would  be  to  add  force  to  its  own. 

"When  I  write  thus,  my  lord,  it  is  not  to  screen 
myself  from  any  thing  the  law  requires,  but  only  to 
make  way  for  my  first  petition  to  your  lordship,  which 
is,  that  you  would  please  to  inform  me,  as  soon  as  you 
conveniently  can,  whether,  as  things  at  present  stand, 
it  be  necessary  for  me  to  ask  a  license ;  and  if  so,  on 
what  terms  I  may  demand  it.  I  bless  God  I  have  noth 
ing  to  fear  as  to  my  ministerial  character ;  and  I  hope 
I  shall  endeavor  to  preserve  it  by  a  steadiness  and 
decency  of  conduct  in  this  affair. 

"I  would  give  the  kind  and  generous  Lord  Halifax 
no  trouble  I  could  properly  avoid :  when  I  considered 
how  zealously  he  had  always  asserted  our  liberties,  I 
thought  he  had  an  undoubted  right  to  know  what  is 
now  passing ;  and  I  flatter  myself  so  far  as  to  believe, 
that  as  the  natural  greatness  of  your  lordship's  soul 
inclines  you  to  protect  the  meanest  of  your  country 
men  from  injury  and  oppression,  so  the  friendship  with 
which  you  are  pleased  to  honor  me,  will  give  you  a 
peculiar  pleasure  in  assisting, 

"  My  lord,  your  lordship's  most  faithful  and  obliged 
humble  servant, 

"PHILIP  DODDRIDGE." 

The  next  letter  states  the  matter  more  fully,  being 
written  to  his  earnest  friend  the  Rev.  John  Barker. 


HIS  ACADEMICAL  CHARGE.  275 

"November  25,  1733. 

"I  must  beg  leave  to  mention  to  you  an  affair, 
which,  though  it  be  immediately  my  personal  con 
cern,  is  not  only  mine,  and  of  which  it  is  probable 
you  may  already  have  heard:  I  mean  my  prosecution 
before  the  spiritual  court.  The  chancellor  of  our 
diocese  promoted  it,  as  he  acknowledged,  not  out  of 
any  ill  will  to  me  as  a  Dissenter,  but  purely  to  es 
tablish  and  vindicate  the  authority  of  the  court  where 
he  presides.  Nothing  has  yet  been  done  in  a  public 
way,  more  than  admonishing  me  to  appear  to  receive 
articles  which  are  to  be  exhibited  against  me  next 
court  day.  He  has,  however,  done  me  the  honor  to 
send  for  me  in  private,  and  treated  me  with  abun 
dance  of  complaisance.  He  complains  of  it  as  a  failure 
in  due  respect  to  himself  as  chancellor,  that  I  have 
taught  the  gentlemen  under  my  care  without  applying 
to  him  for  a  license ;  and  now,  not  to  tire  you  with  a 
long  detail  of  particulars,  he  desires  me,  within  a  few 
days,  to  give  him  a  positive  answer  to  this  one  ques 
tion  :  whether  I  will  take  up  a  license,  if  it  be  offered 
me  on  terms  consistent  with  my  religious  principles 
as  a  Dissenter ;  that  is,  by  resubscribing  to  the  arti 
cles  I  have  already  subscribed  as  a  teacher,  taking 
the  oath  to  the  government,  and  submitting  my  char 
acter  and  abilities  to  teach  to  his  examination.  To 
qualify  the  last  part  of  the  proposal,  he  was  pleased 
to  say  that  he  was  so  well  satisfied  with  both  as  to 
engage  not  to  give  me  the  least  trouble  by  disputing 
either.  This  might  seem  a  very  easy  way  of  ending 
the  affair ;  though  he  adds,  at  the  same  time,  that  he 
is  not  sure  that  he  can  offer  me  a  license  on  these 


276  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

terms,  because  the  Act  of  Toleration  does  not  express 
ly  repeal  a  clause  in  the  Act  of  Uniformity,  which 
requires  much  harder  things.  The  wisest  persons  I 
have  yet  consulted,  both  in  town  and  country,  look 
upon  this  proceeding  as  a  very  artful  scheme  to  bring 
us  under  ecclesiastical  inspection  more  than  we  have 
ever  yet  been ;  and  they  think,  as  I  do,  that  it  is  trust 
ing  our  academies  and  schools  to  the  impartiality  of  a 
party  which  has  not  always  shown  the  nicest  honor, 
not  to  touch  upon  its  integrity. 

"I  perceive  that  a  general  alarm  is  taken;  and  I 
have  had  letters  from  the  most  distant  parts  of  Eng 
land,  to  entreat  that  I  would  make  no  submission,  nor 
accept  of  a  license  on  any  terms,  until  the  matter  has 
been  brought  before  a  civil  court  and  it  has  been 
there  declared  necessary  that  I  should  do  it.  I  con 
fess,  sir,  that  this  advice  is  very  agreeable  both  to  my 
own  inclination  and  judgment,  for  we  know  the  worst 
that  can  occur.  The  government  has  hitherto  pro 
tected  us ;  and  we  cannot  imagine  that  we  have  yet 
received  the  last  favors  it  would  grant,  and  that  we 
shall  now  be  given  up  to  our  enemies,  on  a  point 
where  our  common  rights,  as  British  subjects,  are  so 
evidently  concerned.  People  of  the  best  sense,  among 
very  different  parties,  are  amazed  at  the  conduct  of 
Doctor  Reynolds  at  such  a  juncture ;  and  several  gen 
tlemen  of  the  Established  church,  of  considerable  rank 
and  in  public  estimation,  have  warmly  acknowledged 
their  disapprobation  of  the  whole  proceeding,  and 
have  advised  me  to  stand  it  out  to  the  utmost;  nay, 
the  very  person  in  whose  name  the  measure  is  to  be 
carried  on,  came  to  assure  me  of  his  abhorrence  of 


HIS  ACADEMICAL  CHARGE.  277 

the  step,  and  to  know,  before  it  commenced,  whether 
he  could,  with  safety  to  himself,  being  now  a  church 
warden,  refuse  to  sign  the  presentment,  or,  in  any 
other  circumstance,  make  the  matter  easier  to  me. 

"  On  the  whole,  sir,  I  would  not  be  so  unjust  to  my 
self,  and  to  that  generous  and  condescending  friend 
ship  with  which  you  are  pleased  to  honor  me,  as  to 
come  to  any  determination  in  this  matter  until  I  had 
consulted  you.  I  beg  you  will  please  to  communicate 
the  contents  of  this  letter,  with  my  most  humble  ser 
vices,  to  Doctors  Harris,  Wright,  and  Watts,  and  to 
any  other  gentleman,  whether  of  the  ministry  or  laity, 
to  whom  you  may  think  it  proper ;  so  that  in  an  affair 
in  which  all  are  concerned,  we  may,  as  far  as  possible, 
act  on  united  counsels. 

"  The  question  with  me  is  not,  for  a  moment,  what 
will  be  my  easiest  way  out  of  this  trouble,  but  by  what 
line  of  conduct  I  may  most  effectually  serve  that  cause 
of  liberty  and  truth  to  which  I  hope  I  shall  always 
be  ready  to  sacrifice  my  personal  ease  and  advan 
tage;  sentiments  in  which  I  am  sure  you  heartily 
concur.'7 

From  the  Rev.  John  Barker. 

"  HACKNEY,  Dec.  29,  1733. 

"I  laid  your  last  letters  before  Mr.  Jacob,  who 
has  consulted  with  Mr.  Holden  about  them,  and  they 
are  come  to  a  resolution  to  employ  Mr.  Marryatt,  as 
you  desire,  in  this  affair.  I  am  glad  the  gentlemen 
round  about  you  have  interested  themselves  in  your 
cause,  to  get  you  satisfaction  for  the  violent  assault 
made  upon  your  house.  I  hope  good  may  come  out 
of  this  evil.  I  saw  the  account  of  it  in  the  newspa- 


218  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

per,  and  I  think  it  well  drawn  up.  As  to  your  letter 
to  the  chancellor,  I  find  no  objection  to  it :  I  expect 
the  matter  is  now  too  far  gone  to  expect  a  dismission ; 
though  if,  after  all,  the  chancellor  should  himself  offer 
to  dismiss  it,  doubtless  you  should  advise  with  your 
friends  here  before  you  refuse  it;  but  I  think  you 
should  by  no  means  ask  it  of  him,  nor  do  I  see  that 
you  can  now  do  so. 

"I  hope  God  will  give  you  courage,  and  find  you 
friends,  and  keep  up  your  spirits,  and  prolong  your 
life  and  usefulness." 

To  Doctor  Reynolds. 

"December  29,  1733. 

"REVEREND  SIR — The  proposal  you  were  pleased 
to  make  to  me  was  judged  so  important  by  the  gentle 
men  in  London  to  whom  1  communicated  it,  that  they 
thought  it  proper  to  lay  it  before  the  whole  body  of 
ministers,  and  other  gentlemen  of  our  persuasion,  at 
one  of  their  public  meetings ;  and  also  to  consult  some 
of  the  most  eminent  counsellors  in  England  on  the 
occasion.  This  prevented  my  receiving  a  determinate 
and  complete  answer  till  last  night.  And  now,  sir,  I 
can  tell  you  that,  after  the  most  deliberate  considera 
tion,  they  unanimously  agree  that  it  is  not  proper  or 
advisable  for  me  to  take  up  a  license  on  any  terms 
whatsoever,  until  the  cause  has  been  brought  before  a 
civil  court  of  judicature. 

"I  thought  it  my  duty,  sir,  to  give  you  this  infor 
mation  immediately,  and  shall,  according  to  the  order, 
attend  next  Tuesday  to  receive  articles  of  accusation, 
or  a  dismission,  as  you,  sir,  upon  the  whole,  may  think 
most  proper.  I  am  told  that  other  prosecutions  of  the 


HIS  ACADEMICAL  CHARGE.  219 

same  kind  are  now  on  foot,  and  as  this  is  apprehended 
to  be  one  of  the  most  important,  and  there  are  some 
peculiar  circumstances  attending  it,  there  is  no  cause 
in  which  we  had  rather  the  rights  of  an  ecclesiastical 
court  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  freedom  of  dissenting 
academies  on  the  other,  should  be  fully,  and,  as  we 
hope,  very  amicably  discussed.  When  the  question  is 
determined,  if  I  am  required  to  submit,  as  it  is  very 
possible  I  may  be,  I  shall  do  it  with  so  much  the 
greater  cheerfulness  as  I  am  concerned  with  a  gen 
tleman  of  Dr.  Reynolds7  politeness ;  and  you  will  then, 
sir,  have  convincing  evidence  that  as  I  should  be  heart 
ily  glad  of  any  opportunity  of  serving  you,  so  I  shall 
willingly  and  gratefully  receive  any  personal  compli 
ment  you  may  please  to  confer  upon  me,  though  I  can 
not  ask  the  dismission  of  my  case,  since,  however  kind 
ly  you  might  intend  it,  I  cannot  think  it  would  be  of 
any  advantage  to  that  interest  in  which  I  have  the 
honor  and  happiness  of  being  engaged. 

"I  heartily  thank  you  for  all  the  civilities  with 
which  you  have  been  pleased  to  treat  me  in  this  af 
fair,  and  am,  with  due  respect,  reverend  sir, 

"  Your  most  obedient  humble  servant, 

"PHILIP  DODDRIDGE." 

To  Mrs.  Doddridge. 

"LONDON,  Jan.  31,  1734. 

"I  am  just  come  from  Westminster  Hall,  where 
our  cause  was  gained  without  any  opposition  worth 
naming.  The  judges  ordered  a  prohibition  to  be 
issued,  which  secures  me  from  all  further  trouble. 
For  form's  sake,  their  counsel  moved  that  our  sugges 
tion  might  be  turned  into  a  declaration,  to  which  they 


280  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

may,  if  they  please,  put  in  an  answer,  and  so  bring  the 
cause  to  a  further  trial.  This  I  fear  they  will  not  do. 
If  they  should,  we  shall  certainly  recover  costs.  But 
if  they  go  on  to  give  us  trouble  in  other  cases,  we 
must  try  our  strength  in  parliament.  The  attorney- 
general  offered  his  service,  being  solicited  by  Lord 
Halifax,  according  to  my  desire,  to  undertake  the 
affair.  Things  could  not  indeed  have  been  carried  in 
an  easier  manner. 

"  Give  my  most  kind,  affectionate,  and  grateful  ser 
vices  to  my  friends  at  Northampton,  and  tell  them  that 
it  is  fit  I  should  sometimes  go  to  London,  that  I  may 
know  how  happy  I  am  with  them." 

From  the  Rev.  Samuel  Ward. 

"  BISHOP  STRATFORD,  March  16, 1734. 

•  I  hope  you  will  readily  excuse  the  freedom  of  a 
stranger,  in  presuming  to  congratulate  you  on  your 
late  happy  deliverance  from  the  fury  of  an  ungovern 
able  mob,  and  in  having  been  so  successful  as  to  find 
out  some  of  the  ringleaders  in  the  riot. 

"  Since  indeed  you  have  met  with  such  rude  treat 
ment,  I  must  say  that  I  am  glad  that  the  world  is 
acquainted  with  it,  and  doubt  not  that  it  will  be  of 
singular  service  in  the  present  juncture.  I  met  with 
the  story  yesterday  in  one  of  the  papers ;  and  hope, 
by  this  time,  your  late  visitors  have  taken  it  into  their 
heads  to  grow  milder.  I  observe  in  that  relation  there 
is  a  mention  made  of  your  being  under  a  prosecution 
in  the  Spiritual  court,  for  keeping  an  academy  without 
a  license.  It  is  no  agreeable  place  to  be  in,  I  can  as 
sure  you  upon  my  own  experience ;  and  yet  not  so  ter 
rible  as  some  are  ready  to  imagine,  that  is,  if  those 


HIS  ACADEMICAL  CHARGE.  281 

who  are  obliged  to  have  dealings  there  take  heed  to 
their  steps.  I  have  been  twice  in  their  clutches  for 
keeping  a  school  without  a  license ;  but,  upon  appli 
cation  to  counsel,  was  put  into  a  successful  method  of 
escape. 

"  Whether  you  have  yet  appeared  among  them,  or 
what  progress  you  have  made,  I  know  not;  but  I 
heartily  wish  you  may  have,  nor  do  I  much  question 
your  meeting  with  a  good  deliverance  out  of  their 
hands." 

The  METHOD  OP  EDUCATION  pursued  by  Dr.  Dod- 
dridge  is  very  minutely  and  clearly  detailed  by  the 
Rev.  Job  Orton,  the  substance  of  whose  account  of 
the  matter  will  here  be  given. 

He  chose  to  introduce  into  his  own  family  as  many 
of  his  students  as  his  house  could  accommodate,  that 
they  might  enjoy  the  benefit  of  a  more  constant  super 
vision  and  control.  In  the  exercise  of  government 
he  observed  a  due  medium  between  the  rigor  of  school 
discipline  and  unlimited  indulgence.  Every  student 
was  obliged  to  rise  at  six  in  the  summer,  and  at  seven 
in  the  winter,  soon  after  which  they  assembled  for 
prayers.  These  were  conducted  either  by  the  doctor 
himself,  who  was  usually  present,  or  by  one  of  the 
students  in  turn.  Then  they  retired  to  their  study- 
rooms,  and  remained  till  the  hour  for  family  worship. 
The  doctor  began  that  service  with  a  short  prayer 
invoking  the  divine  blessing.  Some  of  the  students 
then  read  a  chapter  of  the  Old  Testament  from  He 
brew  into  English,  of  which  he  next  gave  a  critical 
exposition,  deducing  thence  some  practical  inferences. 


282  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

After  tlu'  singing  of  the  psalm,  he  eh»ed  the  exercises 
\\itli  prayer.  The  same  method  was  pursued  at  the 
evening  worship,  with  the  variation  that  a  chapter  of 
the  New  Testament  was  read  by  the  students  from 
Greek  into  English,  which  was  expounded  by  Doctor 
Doddridge,  after  which  one  of  the  senior  students 
closed  the  exercises  with  prayer.  They  who  boarded 
at  other  houses  were  required  to  be  present  at  these 
us  of  morning  and  evening  worship,  and  also  to 
conduct  family  worship  in  the  houses  where  they 
lived.  Absence  subjected  to  a  fine,  and  if  frequent, 
to  public  censure  before  the  students.  By  this  meth 
od  of  conducting  the  religious  services  of  the  house 
hold,  the  students  had  the  opportunity,  during  their 
academic  course,  of  hearing  an  exposition  of  most  of 
the  Old  Testament,  and  all  of  the  New  Testament, 
more  than  once.  They  were  advised  also  to  take 
notes  of  what  was  said  at  such  times,  and  to  preserve 
them  for  future  use.  The  Family  Expositor  bears 
full  evidence  of  the  value  of  the  expositions  with 
which  they  were  favored. 

Soon  after  breakfast  the  several  classes  in  order 
attended  upon  Dr.  Doddridge,  and  a  lecture  of  an 
hour  in  length  was  delivered  to  them.  The  afternoon 
he  devoted  to  private  study  and  pastoral  visits. 
After  the  year  1734  the  number  of  his  students  was 
so  increased,  that  he  employed  an  assistant,  to  \\ho-e 
care  the  junior  students  \\ere  intrusted,  and  the  direc 
tion  of  the  academy  when  Dr.  Doddridgv  was  ab>ent 
from  home. 

It  deserves  mention  that  one  of  the  first  things 
to  which  his  student>  were  required  to  attend,  was  to 


HIS  ACADEMICAL  CHARGE.  283 

learn  Rich's  shorthand,  which  he  wrote  himself,  and 
in  wljich  he  was  accustomed  to  write  his  own  lectures 
and  sermons.  The  acquiring  of  this  art  furnished  the 
students  with  a  ready  means  of  making  extracts  from 
the  books  they  read  and  consulted,  and  saved  much 
time  in  writing  their  own  preparations. 

During  the  first  year  of  the  course  the  attain 
ments  made  at  school  in  Latin  and  Greek  were  pur 
sued  and  advanced,  while  such  knowledge  of  the 
Hebrew  was  added,  if  not  previously  acquired,  as 
should  enable  them  to  read  the  Old  Testament  in 
that  language.  For  this  purpose,  besides  the  course 
of  lectures  in  the  morning  on  other  subjects,  classical 
lectures  were  delivered  every  evening,  generally  by 
the  assistant  teacher.  Students  deficient  in  Greek  were 
iii  -iructed  by  some  senior  student.  The  French  lan- 
^uji^e  was  also  taught  to  those  who  desired  to  learn 
it.  Systems  of  logic,  rhetoric,  geography,  and  meta 
physics  were  read  during  the  first  year,  reference 
being  made  to  other  authors  whom  the  students  were 
expected  to  consult.  Lectures  on  geometry  and  alge 
bra  were  read,  and  instruction  given  in  trigonometry, 
conic  sections,  and  celestial  mechanics.  A  system  of 
natural  philosophy  was  read,  illustrated  by  experi 
ments,  for  which  the  academy  was  furnished  with 
ample  apparatus,  partly  the  gift  of  scientific  friends, 
and  partly  the  purchase  of  small  contributions  made 
by  each  student  when  he  entered  on  this  department 
of  study.  History,  natural  and  civil,  a  full  system  of 
Jewish  antiquities,  and  the  anatomy  of  the  human 
frame,  were  also  among  the  branches  which  they  pur 
sued. 


284  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

But  theology,  in  its  widest  range,  embracing  eth 
ics,  and  what  was  then  styled  pneumatology,  was  the 
grand  object  of  investigation.  Dr.  Doddridge  pre 
pared  a  concise  but  elaborate  course  of  instruction  in 
this  department.  It  was  simply  a  compendium,  ar 
ranged  into  propositions  or  problems;  into  scholia, 
which  contained  the  points  of  controversy ;  and  these 
were  followed  by  copious  references  to  the  best  au 
thors,  and  large  extracts  in  illustration  of  each  sub 
ject  discussed  in  the  propositions  and  scholia.  It 
was  the  duty  of  the  student,  in  the  intervals  of  the 
two  or  three  lectures  read  from  his  compendium  each 
week,  to  read  and  abridge  the  references  which  it  fur 
nished.  The  compendium  itself  was  subsequently 
transcribed  by  the  students,  but  after  the  author's 
death  it  was  published. 

Besides  the  expositions  of  Scripture  at  the  season 
of  family  worship,  critical  lectures  on  the  New  Testa 
ment  were  delivered  weekly,  which  the  students  were 
allowed  to  transcribe.  Portions  of  these  lectures 
were  transferred  to  the  pages  of  the  Family  Exposi 
tor.  The  study  of  polite  literature  was  encouraged, 
but  especial  prominence  was  given  to  the  critical  and 
experimental  study  of  the  sacred  Scriptures,  as  the 
grand  source  of  improvement,  and  of  human  happi 
ness. 

In  the  last  year  of  the  course,  lectures  were  de 
livered  on  preaching,  and  the  pastoral  care,  which 
have  been  published,  and  deserve  a  wider  use  than 
they  have  gained  in  our  own  country.  No  one  can 
read  Dr.  Doddridge's  lecture  on  '  The  Evil  of  Neglect 
ing  Souls/  without  the  conviction  that  few  men  have 


HIS  ACADEMICAL  CHARGE.  285 

ever  taught  with  more  elevated  and  impressive  views 
of  the  greatness,  solemnity,  and  importance  of  the 
pastor's  work.  It  may  be  added,  that  lectures  were 
also  given  on  civil  law,  on  the  mythology  of  the  an 
cients,  and  on  English  history,  particularly  the  his 
tory  of  non-conformity,  and  the  principles  on  which 
a  separation  from  the  church  of  England  was  based. 

Public  exercises  occupied  one  day  of  each  week, 
consisting  of  translations  and  orations  read  by  the 
junior  students,  and  examined — of  theses  on  subjects 
of  pneumatology  and  ethics,  which  were  alternately 
opposed  and  defended — of  orations,  by  more  advanced 
students,  on  the  natural  and  moral  perfections  of  God 
and  the  several  branches  of  moral  virtue ;  and  on  the 
part  of  the  senior  students,  of  analyses  of  Scripture, 
schemes  of  sermons,  and  full  sermons,  which  were 
submitted  to  the  examination  and  correction  of  Dr. 
Doddridge.  In  this  latter  part  of  official  duty,  he  was 
eminently  exact  and  thorough,  yet  kind  and  courteous, 
regarding  his  remarks  on  the  compositions  of  his  stu 
dents  as  more  valuable  to  them  than  any  general  rules 
that  could  be  given.  His  remarks  included  the  sug 
gestion  of  subordinate  thoughts,  references  to  appro 
priate  passages  of  Scripture  that  might  have  been 
with  advantage  introduced,  the  retrenchment  of  super 
fluous  words  or  irrelevant  matter,  and  the  supply  of 
what  was  wanting  in  the  composition  of  the  dis 
course. 

He  sought,  during  the  entire  range  of  study,  to 
furnish  every  week  as  great  a  variety  of  lectures  as 
might  entertain  and  yet  not  distract  the  minds  of  the 
students.  He  assigned  to  them  as  large  an  amount 


286  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

of  reading  as  they  could  well  perform  between  the 
lectures,  allowing  sufficient  time,  however,  for  relaxa 
tion  and  the  perusal  of  practical  religious  works.  It 
was  an  important  counsel,  on  which  he  greatly  insist 
ed,  to  read  in  some  of  these  each  day,  but  on  the  Lord's 
day  especially.  He  often  asserted  that  the  neglect 
of  such  writers  argued  a  great  defect  of  understand 
ing,  as  well  as  of  earnest  piety. 

Often  did  he  take  pains  to  examine  the  books 
which  they  read,  exclusive  of  those  referred  to  in  the 
lectures ;  and  called  their  attention  to  such  as  seemed 
to  him  best  adapted  to  their  age,  capacities,  and  in« 
tended  profession,  for  not  all  of  his  students  had  in 
view  the  sacred  ministry.  This  advice  was  the  more 
available,  as  the  doctor's  library,  to  which  they  had 
access,  embraced  several  thousand  volumes,  derived 
from  his  private  purchases,  the  donations  of  liberal 
friends,  and  the  small  contributions  of  each  student 
for  the  purpose  of  enlarging  the  collection.  Dr.  Dod- 
dridge,  under  the  impression  that  a  larger  library 
might  prove  injurious  rather  than  beneficial,  unless  a 
wise  choice  were  made  of  the  books  read  by  the  stu 
dents,  sometimes  gave  them  lectures  on  the  books 
contained  in  the  library,  taking  the  various  shelves 
in  order,  stating  the  character  of  each  book,  and  of 
its  author,  so  far  as  known,  informing  them  at  what 
period  of  the  course,  and  with  what  special  views  par 
ticular  books  might  be  read  to  the  best  advantage ; 
and  also  designating  the  books  that  would  contribute 
most  to  furnish  them  for  the  demands  that  would  be 
made  upon  them  in  public  life.  Some  of  his  students 
have  referred  to  these  lectures  as  eminently  instruc- 


HIS  ACADEMICAL  CHARGE.  281 

tive  and  entertaining  at  the  time,  and  greatly  useful 
when  they  had  entered  on  the  work  of  the  ministry. 

His  manner  of  lecturing  on  all  subjects  was  well 
adapted  to  engage  attention,  to  promote  diligent 
investigation,  and  to  secure  an  intelligent  comprehen 
sion  of  the  subjects  to  which  they  were  severally 
devoted.  Upon  assembling  the  class,  he  examined 
them  upon  the  contents  of  the  previous  lecture;  he 
sought  to  ascertain  whether  they  understood  his  rea 
soning;  whether  they  had  learned  what  the  authors 
referred  to  had  said  upon  the  subject;  whether  he 
had  himself  furnished  a  just  view  of  the  sentiments, 
arguments,  or  objections  of  these  authors,  or  had  omit 
ted  any  that  were  important.  He  called  upon  them 
for  a  statement  of  the  demonstrations,  scriptures,  or 
facts,  embraced  in  the  lectures  and  references.  He 
encouraged  his  students  to  propose  any  objections 
which  might  arise  in  their  own  minds,  or  which  the 
authors  read  had  suggested,  and  which  the  lecture,  in 
their  judgment,  had  failed  to  solve.  He  desired  them, 
also,  to  point  out  any  misapplication  of  texts  of  Scrip 
ture,  or  any  wrong  deductions,  if  they  had  discovered 
such,  and  to  propose  others  which  might  serve  either 
to  confirm  or  contradict  what  the  lecture  had  ad 
vanced.  If  at  any  time  frivolous  or  impertinent 
objections  were,  under  these  circumstances,  brought 
forward,  he  gave  them  a  patient  hearing,  and  a  mild 
reply. 

He  was  anxious  to  have  his  lectures  and  the 
illustrations  employed  thoroughly  understood,  and 
hence  to  hold  perfectly  the  attention  of  the  students, 
he  often  proposed  questions  upon  what  he  had  been 


288  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

reading.  He  assumed  no  magisterial  airs,  but  ad 
dressed  them  with  the  kindness  and  familiarity  of  a 
father.  He  disclaimed  the  desire  to  have  them  adopt 
his  sentiments  implicitly;  but  on  the  other  hand, 
enjoined  on  them  to  judge  for  themselves,  only  en 
deavoring  clearly  to  set  forth  the  truth  on  all  subjects, 
as  he  apprehended  it,  together  with  the  objections 
that  might  be  urged  against  it.  He  candidly  brought 
to  view  the  difficulties  connected  with  the  questions 
he  discussed,  and  referred  his  students  to  writers  on 
both  sides  impartially.  He  insisted  upon  their  found 
ing  their  theological  sentiments  upon  the  word  of 
God,  and  not  upon  the  teaching  of  any  man,  or  any 
body  of  men.  Hence  the  Bible  was  constantly  made 
the  standard  of  appeal,  and  was  carefully  and  rever 
ently  consulted.  He  was  exceedingly  opposed  to  all 
bigotry  and  uncharitableness,  and  sought  carefully  to 
check  such  dispositions  by  showing  how  much  might 
be  said  in  defence  of  opinions  deemed  erroneous,  and 
by  referring  to  the  great  learning  and  fair  character 
of  many  who  had  advocated  such  opinions.  He  par 
ticularly  discouraged  a  haughty  and  supercilious  mode 
of  writing  or  speaking,  displaying  itself  in  ridicule 
and  satire  against  the  infirmities  of  plain,  serious 
Christians,  or  the  labors  of  earnest  ministers,  who 
condescended  to  adapt  themselves  to  persons  of  mean 
capacity,  for  the  purpose  of  securing  their  conversion. 
He  made  it  his  constant  aim  to  impart  to  his 
students  just  and  sublime  views  of  the  sacred  office 
for  which  they  were  preparing,  and  to  lead  them  to 
make  all  their  reading  and  study  contribute  to  furnish 
and  qualify  them  for  it.  He  sought  to  imbue  them 


HIS  ACADEMICAL  CHARGE.  289 

with  the  deep  conviction  that  the  salvation  of  one 
soul  was  of  infinitely  greater  importance  than  the 
ability  or  opportunity  to  charm  a  thousand  splendid 
assemblies  with  discourses  of  the  greatest  elegance. 
He  frequently  insisted  on  the  necessity  of  preaching 
much  concerning  Christ  and  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  of 
subjecting  their  own  hearts  to  the  energy  of  gospel 
truths,  so  that  their  discourses  might  be  unaffected 
and  impressive. 

We  may  better  judge  of  his  solemn  earnestness 
in  attaining  these  ends,  by  reading  an  extract  from 
one  of  his  able  discourses  to  ministers : 

"  I  hope,  sirs,  we  have  the  testimony  of  our  own 
consciences  before  God,  that  we  do  not,  on  these  sol 
emn  occasions,  content  ourselves  with  cold  essays  on 
mere  moral  subjects,  however  acute,  philosophical,  or 
polite ;  nor  make  it  our  main  business  in  our  sermons 
to  seek  the  ornament  and  the  elegance  of  words,  the 
refinements  of  criticism,  or  the  nice  arrangement  of 
various  complex  and  abstruse  argumentations.  When 
we  speak,  in  the  name  and  presence  of  God,  to  immor 
tal  creatures  on  the  borders  of  eternity,  I  hope  we 
entertain  our  hearers  with  plain,  serious,  and  lively 
discourses  on  the  most  important  doctrines  of  Chris 
tianity,  in  their  due  connection  and  relation  to  each 
other,  in  such  a  manner  as  we,  on  mature  considera 
tion,  do  verily  believe  may  have  the  most  effectual 
tendency  to  bring  them  to  God  through  Christ,  and 
to  produce  and  promote  in  their  hearts,  through  the 
divine  blessing,  the  great  work  of  regeneration  and 
holiness.  I  hope  and  trust  that  God  is  our  witness, 

Doddridge.  1  3 


290  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

and  that  the  people  of  our  charge  are  witnesses,  that 
not  one  of  those  who  diligently  attend  on  our  minis 
try,  though  but  for  a  few  succeeding  Sabbaths,  can 
fail  to  learn  the  way  of  salvation  as  exhibited  in  the 
gospel ;  and  that  we  speak  of  it  as  those  that  are  in 
earnest,  and  do,  from  our  very  souls,  desire  to  answer 
the  great  ends  of  our  ministry,  in  the  prosperity  ot 
the  Redeemer's  kingdom,  and  the  eternal  happiness 
of  those  invaluable  souls  whom  he  has  committed  to 
our  care.  Otherwise  we  may  incur  great  and  fatal 
guilt,  though  public  worship  be  constantly  and  decent 
ly  carried  on,  and  though  a  reasonable  proportion  of 
time  be  employed  in  it,  with  numerous  and  attentive 
auditories,  to  whom  we  may  be  as  the  lovely  song  of 
one  that  has  a  pleasant  voice,  while,  in  the  ears  of 
God,  for  want  of  that  fervent  charity  which  should 
dictate  and  animate  all,  we  are  but  as  sounding  brass, 
or  as  a  tinkling  cymbal." 

It  was  a  great  care  of  Dr.  Doddridge  to  make 
his  students  experimental  preachers;  and  for  this 
purpose  he  led  them  into  an  acquaintance  with  the 
various  exercises  of  the  human  soul  under  the  influ 
ence  of  religious  truths,  by  recommending  to  their 
daily  perusal  the  best  practical  writers,  and  the  faith 
ful  observation  of  the  workings  of  their  own  hearts. 
He  encouraged  them  to  think  and  write  and  speak 
much  on  subjects  connected  with  experimental  relig 
ion.  At  times  he  took  some  of  his  students  with  him 
when  he  went  to  visit  persons  who  were  deeply  exer 
cised  in  religious  matters,  or  to  visit  the  sick  and  the 
dying,  that  they  might  observe  his  method  of  conver- 


HIS  ACADEMICAL  CHARGE.  291 

sation  and  prayer  under  circumstances  like  these,  and 
have  their  own  hearts  affected  by  such  solemn  scenes. 
To  improve  their  religious  experience,  he  also  intro 
duced  them  to  some  serious  but  plain  members  of  his 
church,  so  that  the  knowledge  thus  gained  of  their 
hidden  worth  and  large  acquaintance  with  religion, 
and  the  hearing  of  their  observations  respecting  the 
character  and  labors  of  deceased  ministers,  might 
improve  the  hearts  of  his  students,  and  produce  in 
them  a  deeper  respect  for  the  members  of  the  com 
munity  at  large.  He  often  cautioned  them  not  to 
despise  the  common  people,  nor  to  think  that  the 
habit  of  condescension  to  them  was  unworthy  of  the 
dignity  of  a  scholar.  He  admonished  them  not  to 
refuse  the  charge  of  a  congregation,  to  which  they 
might  be  useful,  because  it  contained  few  or  none  of 
the  wealthy  and  highly  educated  and  polite ;  but  to 
labor  to  improve  the  understandings  of  their  hearers, 
and  to  associate  with  plain  people,  assuring  them,  as 
the  result  of  his  own  observation  and  happy  expe 
rience,  that  plain,  serious  Christians  are  often  the  most 
steadfast  and  affectionate  friends  of  the  pastor,  and 
his  greatest  joy.  He  urged  them  to  study  closely  the 
temper  and  capacities  of  their  hearers,  so  as  to  render 
themselves  agreeable  to  them  in  their  public  ministra 
tions  and  private  intercourse,  as  far  as  conscience  and 
honor  would  allow. 

At  the  same  time  he  did  not  neglect  to  prepare 
them,  as  well  as  he  could,  for  appearing  to  advantage 
in  polite  and  literary  circles.  He  not  only  led  them 
through  a  course  of  refined  and  elegant  literature, 
but  endeavored  to  give  refinement,  affability,  and 


292  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

polish  to  their  manners  and  address,  by  maintaining 
in  his  own  family  the  most  exact  decorum,  and  taking 
due  notice  of  all  departures  from  it.  He  bestowed 
great  care  also  upon  their  way  of  speaking,  their  pro 
nunciation,  tones,  gestures,  and  general  demeanor. 

Some  excellent  observations  from  his  pen  upon 
the  place  that  literature  and  science  should  hold 
among  the  pursuits  of  the  pastor,  and  the  degree  of 
elegance  that  may  properly  be  endeavored  and  dis 
played  in  pulpit  compositions,  should  not  be  here 
omitted.  He  remarks : 

"  I  have  had  some  little  taste  of  the  pleasures  of 
literature  myself,  and  have  some  reason  to  hope  that 
I  shall  not  be  suspected  of  any  prejudice  against  it; 
nor  am  I  at  all  inclined  to  pass  those  contemptuous 
censures  on  the  various  branches  of  it,  in  which  igno 
rance  and  sloth  are  often,  with  strange  stupidity,  or 
with  yet  stranger  assurance,  seeking,  and  it  may  be 
finding  a  refuge.  But  I  must  freely  say,  that  I  fear 
many  things  which  employ  a  very  large  portion  of 
our  retired  time,  are  studied  rather  as  polite  amuse 
ments  to  our  own  miuds  than  as  things  which  seem  to 
have  any  apparent  subserviency  to  the  glory  of  God, 
and  the  edification  of  our  flock. 

"  Let  me  here  in  particular  address  myself  to  my 
younger  brethren  with  a  frankness  which  may  be  to 
them  more  excusable,  while  I  urge  them  to  a  Christian 
self-denial  upon  this  head,  where  perhaps  it  may  be,  of 
all  others,  the  most  difficult.  I  do  not  apprehend  per 
sons  of  your  approved  character  to  be  in  danger  of 
any  other  kind  of  luxury  and  intemperance ;  but  there 


HIS  ACADEMICAL  CHARGE.  293 

is,  if  you  will  permit  me  so  to  call  it,  a  sort  of  refined 
intellectual  luxury,  with  regard  to  which  I  am  jealous 
over  you,  lest  you  should  be  seduced  into  it. 

"  I  would  not,  my  young  friends,  be  so  severe  and 
cruel  as  to  desire  you  should  be  confined  from  that 
high  and  elegant  entertainment  which  a  person  of 
genius  and  taste  will  find  in  the  masterly  writings  of 
the  ancient  orators,  historians,  and  poets ;  or  in  those 
polite  and  elegant  pieces  which  our  own  and  other 
modern  languages  may  afford;  from  which  the  wise 
man  and  the  Christian  will  learn  many  things  of  solid 
use,  as  well  as  matters  of  most  delightful  amusement. 
Neither  would  I  pretend  to  forbid  some  mathematical 
and  philosophical  researches  into  which  you  are  initi 
ated  in  your  academical  course,  and  with  which  you 
will  do  well  to  retain  and  improve  your  acquaintance 
in  the  progress  of  life;  both  to  strengthen  your 
rational  faculties  by  that  strenuous  exercise,  and  to 
improve  your  knowledge  of  the  works  of  God,  which 
will  appear  great,  wonderful,  and  delightful,  in  pro 
portion  to  the  degree  of  sagacity  and  diligence  with 
which  they  may  be  searched  out.  But  it  is  one  thing 
to  taste  of  those  poignant  and  luscious  fruits,  and 
another  to  feed  and  live  upon  them ;  one  thing  to  make 
the  most  noble  and  substantial  parts  of  them  our  enter 
tainment  and  refreshment,  and  quite  another  to  make 
their  circumstantial  curiosities  the  chief  business  of 
our  study,  and  the  favorite  subjects  of  our  most  atten 
tive  inquiry.  That  true  greatness  and  elevation  of 
mind  which  the  gospel  is  so  admirably  adapted  to 
produce,  would  teach  us  a  sublime  science ;  and  if  for 
the  sake  of  these  little  things  we  neglect  to  pray  for 


294  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

those  whom  God  hath  committed  to  our  care,  to  in 
quire  into  their  religious  state,  to  pursue  them  with 
suitable  applications  and  addresses,  the  time  will 
come  when  we  shall  assuredly  own  that  we  dearly 
purchased  the  most  refined  pleasures  they  could  pos 
sibly  give  us ;  not  to  say  how  much  greater  and  nobler 
pleasure  we  even  now  resign,  while  our  duty  is  neg 
lected. 

"  Nor  am  I  without  my  fears  that  a  great  deal  of 
studious  time  is  lost  in  an  over-artful  composition  of 
sermons,  and  in  giving  them  such  polish  and  ornament 
as  does  not  conduce  to  their  usefulness,  nor  any  way 
balance  the  labor  employed  in  the  work.  If  we  do 
not  diligently  watch  our  own  hearts,  this  will  be  an 
incense  offered  to  our  own  vanity,  which  will  render 
our  sacrifice  less  acceptable  to  God,  however  we  and 
our  hearers  may  be  delighted  with  the  perfume. 
Greater  plainness  and  simplicity  of  speech  might 
often  be  more  useful  to  the  bulk  of  our  auditory,  and 
perhaps  more  acceptable  too;  and  on  the  whole,  it 
might  be  at  least  equally  beautiful ;  for  all  that  are 
not  children  in  understanding  know  that  there  is  a 
natural  and  manly  kind  of  eloquence,  arising  from  a 
deep  sense  of  the  subject,  and  an  ardent  love  to  the 
souls  of  our  hearers,  which  is  of  all  others  the  most 
to  be  desired  and  esteemed.  And  though  such  dis 
courses  may  be  attended  with  some  little  inaccuracies, 
surely  where  a  habit  of  speaking  is  formed  by  proper 
application,  and  the  materials  of  a  sermon  are  well 
digested  in  the  mind,  it  will  rise  above  contempt. 
And  if,  where  more  exact  preparation  is  made,  a  care 
to  preserve  those  niceties  of  composition  deaden  the 


HIS  ACADEMICAL  CHARGE.  295 

manner  of  the  delivery,  and  take  off  either  its  solem 
nity,  its  vigor,  or  its  tenderness,  I  cannot  but  appre 
hend  it  to  be  as  injurious  to  the  character  of  the  ora 
tor  as  to  that  of  the  Christian.  The  most  celebrated 
speakers  in  judicial  courts  and  in  senates  have,  in 
all  nations  and  ages,  pursued  the  method  I  now  recom 
mend  ;  and  the  most  acceptable  preachers  have  suc 
cessfully  attempted  it.  On  the  whole,  permit  me  to 
say  it  would  be  a  fatal  thing  to  barter  away  the  souls 
of  our  people  for  the  highest  reputation  of  speaking 
well ;  yet  I  fear  there  are  many  who  in  this  view  do 
it  for  naught,  and  have  not  in  any  sense  increased 
their  wealth  by  the  price.  Psa.  44: 12." 

The  senior  students,  before  they  began  to  preach 
their  own  sermons,  were  encouraged  by  Dr.  Dod- 
dridge  to  visit,  on  the  Lord's  day  evenings,  the  neigh 
boring  villages  and  hold  meetings  for  religious  wor 
ship  in  some  licensed  houses.  Two  of  them  usually 
went  together;  a  plain  sermon  on  some  practical 
subject  was  read,  and  one  of  them  prayed  before,  and 
the  other  after  it,  accompanied  with  singing.  By 
this  laudable  practice  the  students  gained  assurance 
in  conducting  a  public  exercise,  and  rendered  them 
selves  highly  useful  before'  they  were  prepared  to 
preach.  They  also  learned  the  habit  of  conversing 
with  serious  people  on  the  subject  of  religion,  as  some 
of  these  generally  remained  for  this  purpose  after  the 
dismission  of  the  assembly. 

It  was  a  great  advantage  to  the  students  that 
the  doctor  allowed  them,  as  often  as  other  business 
would  permit,  to  have  access  to  him  privately  in  his 


296  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

study,  for  the  purpose  of  asking  advice,  or  of  obtain 
ing  an  explanation  of  difficulties  which  they  had  met 
with  in  their  reading,  or  in  the  lectures.  He  was 
ready  to  communicate  his  views  of  the  meaning  of 
any  passages  of  Scripture  which  they  were  unable  to 
explain,  and  he  turned  to  their  advantage  every  such 
private  interview.  Even  at  meals  he  often  inquired 
of  each  one  in  order  what  they  had  been  reading,  or 
what  texts  they  had,  according  to  his  general  direc 
tion,  chosen  that  day  for  pious  meditation,  and  from 
such  texts  he  drew  practical  reflections  deserving  of 
a  place  in  their  remembrance. 

Thus  it  is  seen  what  great  pains  he  took  to  pre 
pare  all  his  students  for  usefulness,  whether  they  had 
the  ministry,  or  some  other  station  in  view.  Those 
who  were  intended  for  trade,  he  often  counselled  not 
to  be  so  fond  of  books  as  to  neglect  a  proper  applica 
tion  to  their  future  business;  and  he  often  suggested 
important  maxims,  by  a  regard  to  which  they  might 
conduct  their  business  with  honor  and  success,  and  at 
the  same  time  improve  their  moral  and  religious 
character.  ;  ttti 

His  chief  care,  and  what  he  regarded  as  essential 
to  their  highest  usefulness,  was  that  they  might  be, 
and  appear  to  be,  good  men.  Hence  the  strictest  vig 
ilance  was  exercised  over  their  behavior  out  of  the 
hours  of  study  and  of  lecture.  Inquiries  were  made 
of  them,  and  of  others,  what  houses  they  frequented, 
what  company  they  kept,  what  character  they  sus 
tained.  Upon  discovering  any  irregularity  of  con 
duct,  or  yielding  to  temptation,  a  private  admonition 
was  seriously  and  affectionately  administered,  some- 


HIS  ACADEMICAL  CHARGE.  297 

times  accompanied  by  prayer  with  and  for  them.  If 
private  admonition  failed  to  reclaim  the  offender,  a 
public  one  before  the  school  at  family  worship  was 
added ;  and  if  this  did  not  secure  reform,  the  sentence 
of  expulsion  was  pronounced. 

The  tenderness  and  conscientiousness  of  Dr.  Dod- 
dridge  upon  such  occasions  will  appear  from  a  record 
in  his  diary:  "A  very  melancholy  scene  opened  this 
day.  We  had  some  time  spent  in  fasting  and  prayer, 
on  account  of  an  unhappy  youth,  whose  folly  and  wick 
edness  have  obliged  me  to  dismiss  him.  I  pronounced 
the  solemn  sentence  of  expulsion  upon  him  before  the 
whole  academy.  I  thank  God  I  was  carried  through 
this  sad  work  with  spirit  j  yet  greatly  afflicted  to  see 
all  I  had  endeavored  to  do  for  his  good  thrown  away 
upon  him.  I  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing  in  him  the 
treachery  of  the  human  heart,  the  necessity  of  keeping 
near  to  God,  and  the  tendency  of  bad  practices  to  cor 
rupt  the  principles  of  a  man:  God  has  exercised  me 
in  this  instance  with  great  trouble  and  disappoint 
ment;  but  'the  disciple  is  not  above  his  Master.7 
Lord,  may  I  approve  my  sincerity  and  zeal  in  thy 
sight,  though  it  should  be  in  every  instance  unsuccess 
ful.  Let  me  but  hear  thee  saying,  'Well  done,  good 
and  faithful  servant/  and  none  can  hinder  my  joy." 
But  we  are  told  that  it  pleased  God  so  to  succeed 
his  pious  care,  that  there  were  very  few  instances  in 
which  he  was  obliged  to  have  recourse  to  so  painful 
an  expedient  to  secure  the  honor  of  his  family  and 
the  safety  of  his  other  pupils. 

It  is  pleasing,  on  the  other  hand,  to  find  in  his  di 
ary  the  record  which  he  makes,  when  one  of  quite  a 
13* 


298  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

different  class  of  students  is  the  subject  of  remark. 
Thus  at  the  beginning  of  1747,  he  writes,  "Nor  must 
I  reckon  among  the  smallest  of  my  mercies  the  oppor 
tunities  I  have  had  of  seeing  how  eminently  He  has 
blessed  the  labors  of  good  Mr.  Fawcett,  and  with  what 
abundant  anointing  of  the  Holy  Spirit  God  has  been 
pleased  to  honor  him ;  in  consequence  of  which  I  can 
truly  say,  I  should  think  all  my  labors  as  a  tutor  well 
repaid  to  have  been  instrumental  in  raising  up  but  one 
such  person  to  the  service  of  the  sanctuary." 

A  letter  or  two  may  here  be  properly  introduced 
to  illustrate  the  polite,  benignant,  and  judicious  man 
ner  in  which  he  was  accustomed  to  make  parents 
acquainted  with  the  conduct  of  their  sons,  especially 
when  he  could  not  entirely  commend  it. 

To  Mrs.  Wilkinson. 

"September  3,  1731. 

"As  for  my  dear  pupil,  your  son,  I  have  an  increas 
ing  satisfaction  in  him.  He  has  now,  madam,  as  you 
well  know,  been  with  me  more  than  half  a  year,  and 
in  all  that  time  I  have  never  heard  a  word  uttered  by 
him  which  I  could  blame.  Genius,  diligence,  discre 
tion,  modesty,  and  good-humor  discover  themselves  in 
the  whole  course  of  his  studies  and  conversation.  I 
would  not  flatter  you  on  this  occasion,  or  on  any 
other ;  but  I  think  that  this  is  a  satisfaction  which  I 
owe  you;  and  I  assure  you  that  he  is  so  dear  to  me 
that  tears  of  pleasure  are  rising  in  my  eyes  while  I 
am  writing  this  account  of  him.  I  have  often  been 
inviting  him  to  the  table  of  our  Lord;  and  though, 
from  the  great  tenderness  of  his  spirit,  he  has  labored 


HIS  ACADEMICAL  CHARGE.  299 

under  some  discouragement,  I  hope  I  shall  shortly 
meet  him  there,  and  doubt  not  that  he  will  be  a  wel 
come  guest. 

"  My  sincere  friendship  for  so  agreeable  a  corre 
spondent  as  his  good  mother,  engages  me  doubly  to 
rejoice  in  these  promising  appearances  in  one  for 
whom  she  is  so  deeply  concerned ;  and  if  you  will  do 
us  the  favor  of  coming  and  spending  a  few  weeks  with 
us,  my  wife,  who  sends  her  very  humble  services,  will 
wait  upon  you  with  a  great  deal  of  pleasure.  We 
will  use  you  with  as  much  freedom  as  if  you  were  one 
of  our  own  family ;  and  you  may  assure  yourself  of  a 
hearty  welcome." 

To  G-eorge  Pembroke,  Esq. 

"  NORTHAMPTON,  Nov.  15,  1732. 

"I  intend  so  quickly  to  do  myself  the  honor  and 
pleasure  of  waiting  upon  you  at  St.  Albans,  that  it 
appears  unnecessary  to  write  you  largely  at  present ; 
and  yet  I  would  not  neglect  this  opportunity  of  offer 
ing  you  my  thanks  for  your  kind  invitation,  and  all 
your  other  favors. 

"I  hope  your  son  will  return  home  with  some  im 
provement.  I  can  faithfully  say  that  I  have  endeav 
ored  to  fulfil  my  duty  towards  him ;  and  you  know, 
sir,  the  inconstancy  of  a  young  mind,  and  how  hard  it 
is  to  mould  it  into  a  due  course  of  laborious  applica 
tion,  especially  when  there  is  a  quickness  of  genius, 
and  a  readiness  of  apprehension,  which,  as  it  is  in  many 
instances  a  glory  and  a  happiness,  is  in  some  a  temp 
tation  to  frivolous  amusement.  I  think  myself  bound 
to  speak  plainly  with  you  in  regard  to  your  son's  char 
acter  in  this  point,  and  so  much  the  rather,  as  it  is 


PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

principally  from  your  influence  upon  him  that  I  prom 
ise  myself  the  reformation  of  some  things  which  I  can 
not  praise,  though  I  can  bear  with  them. 

"In  the  mean  time,  sir,  I  content  myself  with  tell 
ing  you  that  there  is  nothing  grossly  amiss ;  and  as  I 
have  not  a  pupil  under  my  care  who  treats  me  with 
more  filial  regard,  so  I  can  truly  say,  that  there  is  not 
one  for  whom  I  have  a  more  paternal  tenderness. 
As  I  desire  to  preserve  my  share  in  his  friendship 
and  affection,  in  order  to  serve  him  with  the  greater 
advantage,  I  desire  that  you  would  conceal  from  him 
any  thing  in  this  letter  which  might  give  him  suspi 
cion  ;  and  that  you  would  not  look  the  less  kindly  upon 
him  from  any  thing  you  have  now  read.  I  know  how 
much  he  fears  your  frown,  and  would  by  no  means  be 
instrumental  in  giving  him  one  moment's  uneasiness, 
further  than  is  absolutely  necessary  for  his  own  future 
honor  and  advantage." 

The  student  thus  referred  to,  after  being  some 
years  at  the  academy,  entered  at  the  temple,  was  ad 
mitted  to  the  bar,  and  settled  at  St.  Albans,  where  he 
sustained  a  high  professional  reputation. 

In  the  year  1734  an  important  matter  came  under 
the  consideration  of  Dr.  Doddridge,  the  consequences 
of  which  will  extend  to  the  end  of  time.  A  Mr.  Cow 
ard,  a  wealthy  London  merchant,  retired  from  busi 
ness  and  settled  at  Waltharnstow,  a  beautiful  village  a 
few  miles  from  that  city,  in  the  stately  seclusion  of 
Epping  Forest,  where,  through  the  attractions  of  a 
popular  minister,  the  Dissenters  soon  became  numer 
ous.  This  old  English  gentleman  was  so  peculiar  in 
his  manners,  that  he  closed  the  doors  of  his  house  at 


HIS  ACADEMICAL  CHARGE.  301 

six  o'clock  in  the  evening  in  winter,  and  at  seven  in 
the  summer,  after  which  no  person,  however  urgent, 
could  obtain  admission.  This  gentleman  devoted  his 
whole  time  and  property  to  the  advancement  of  the 
cause  of  Christ;  and  determined  that  at  his  decease 
a  large  portion  of  his  property  should  be  given  for  the 
establishment  of  a  college  for  the  education  of  young 
ministers,  selecting  Doddridge,  if  he  survived,  as  the 
first  teacher  of  theology ;  requiring  him,  however,  at 
once  to  relinquish  his  charge  at  Northampton,  arid 
undertake  the  much  smaller  one  at  Walthamstow. 
The  difficulty  of  Doddridge  was  increased  by  the  fact 
that  if  he  declined  the  offer,  it  would  be  given  to  a 
teacher  of  error.  It  occasioned  the  friends  of  truth 
much  anxiety;  the  final  result  was  somewhat  of  a 
change  in  the  original  plan,  and  the  college  after  his 
death  was  established  from  a  fund  left  by  Mr.  Coward, 
for  that  and  other  purposes,  of  not  less  than  one  hun 
dred  thousand  dollars.  After  various  changes,  and 
more  than  one  near  escape  of  its  falling  into  the 
hands  of  Unitarians,  Coward  college  was  merged 
with  the  old  Homerton  and  Highbury  colleges  in 
what  is  now  called  The  New  college,  St.  John's 
Wood,  London. 

While,  as  before  remarked,  the  academy  of  Dr. 
Doddridge  embraced  other  students  besides  those  de 
signed  for  the  Christian  ministry,  it  would  seem  that 
all  were  educated  under  the  highest  religious  culture. 
He  was  not  satisfied  with  an  externally  regular  life 
on  their  part,  but  he  sought  in  all  of  them  real  and 
humble  piety.  "  It  is  my  heart's  desire,  and  prayer 
to  God/'  says  he,  "that  no  one  may  go  out  from  me 


302  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

without  an  understanding  enlightened  from  above,  a 
heart  sanctified  by  divine  grace,  quickened  and  warm 
ed  with  love  to  Jesus,  and  tenderly  concerned  for  the 
salvation  of  perishing  souls.  What  are  all  our  studies 
and  pursuits  to  this?77  For  this  purpose  he  endeavored 
to  bring  them  early  to  Christ  and  into  communion  with 
the  church,  as  he  did  in  the  case  of  young  Wilkinson. 
He  employed  great  care  in  instructing  candidates  for 
an  intelligent  and  pious  observance  of  the  Lord's  sup 
per,  and  in  watching  over  them  subsequently.  Or 
dinary  lectures  and  studies  were  omitted  on  every 
Saturday  preceding  the  communion,  and  the  greater 
part  of  it  was  devoted  to  religious  exercises.  All 
the  students  were  gathered  in  the  lecture-room ;  a  dis 
course  was  delivered  with  direct  bearing  upon  their 
circumstances,  fitted  either  to  prepare  them  for  the 
ministry,  or  for  the  better  discharge  of  their  duties  as 
Christians.  On  these  occasions,  the  doctor  was  un 
usually  solemn  and  impressive,  having  due  regard  to 
the  powerful  future  influence  which  so  many  educated 
young  men  were  likely  to  exert  upon  the  interests  of 
the  church  and  of  the  world.  The  latter  part  of  that 
day  was  occupied  by  the  students  by  themselves  in 
devotional  duties.  The  Lord7s  day  was  habitually 
observed  by  all  with  great  strictness  and  care.  Af 
ter  the  public  and  domestic  exercises,  the  laborious 
and  excellent  pastor  invited  each  student  separately 
into  his  study,  for  the  purpose  of  conversation  with 
him  in  regard  to  his  religious  state,  progress,  and  ob 
ligations. 

He   conducted  his  intercourse  with  them  in  so 
paternal  and  benign  a  manner,  that  he  secured  their 


HIS  ACADEMICAL  CHARGE.  303 

entire  confidence  and  affection,  so  that  they  hesitated 
not  to  open  their  hearts  to  him  with  great  freedom. 
He  assured  them  that  his  own  happiness  was  depend 
ent,  in  no  small  degree,  upon  their  proficiency  in  their 
studies,  exemplariness  of  conduct,  and  eminence  in 
piety.  There  was  in  fact  a  close  and  delightful  sym 
pathy  established  between  them  and  him.  This  state 
of  things  was  pleasantly  exhibited,  on  the  occasion  of 
his  receiving,  in  1736,  the  degree  of  Doctor  in  Divin 
ity  from  the  two  colleges  in  Aberdeen,  in  Scotland. 
His  students  came  to  him  in  a  body  to  offer  him  their 
congratulations  upon  the  honor  thus  conferred;  when, 
having  politely  acknowledged  this  manifestation  of 
their  respect,  he  stated  to  them  that  the  only  honor 
of  which  he  was  truly  ambitious  was  that  which  they 
could  themselves  confer  by  their  advancement  in 
piety  and  learning,  and  their  future  usefulness  in  the 
world,  circumstances  which  were  dearer  to  his  heart 
than  any  personal  distinction  with  which  he  could  be 
gratified. 

From  a  letter  of  Dr.  Jennings,  dated  March  11, 
1735,  it  would  seem  that  this  degree  had  before  that 
time  been  proffered  to  Doddridge,  and  that  he  had 
hesitated,  for  some  cause,  about  accepting  it,  for  Dr. 
Jennings  thus  writes :  "  As  for  your  other  affair,  it 
has  given  no  pain,  but  a  great  deal  of  pleasure.  Sure 
ly  a  person  of  your  remarkable  civility  to  everybody, 
will  not  think  of  putting  such  an  unheard  of  affront 
upon  a  university,  as  to  refuse  the  honor  they  bestow 
upon  you.  Dr.  Guyse  says  you  have  only  to  thank 
them  by  letter,  and  make  a  small  present  of  books  to 
their  library,  especially  your  own  works.  And  now 


PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

I  most  sincerely  wish  you  joy,  or,  in  the  expressive 
phrase  of  the  old  psalm,  I  wish  you  good  luck  with 
your  honor."  To  this  quotation  it  is  pleasant  to  be 
able  to  add  an  extract  of  a  letter  written,  on  a  simi 
lar  occasion,  by  Doddridge  himself  to  his  early  and 
constant  friend. 

To  the  Rev.  Samuel  Clarke,  D.D. 

"  NORTHAMPTON,  March  22,  1744. 

"  REVEREND  AND  DEAR  DOCTOR — Permit  me  to  con 
gratulate  not  so  much  you  as  myself  on  my  being  able 
to  address  you  by  a  title  which  has  often  given  me  so 
much  confusion  in  your  presence.  I  have  this  evening 
been  informed  by  a  letter  from  Mr.  Principal  Camp 
bell  of  Glasgow,  that  the  university  there,  at  the  mo 
tion  of  Lord  Kilkerran,  on  the  united  testimony  of 
Dr.  Watts,  Dr.  Guyse,  and  your  humble  servant,  had, 
a  few  days  before,  unanimously  conferred  upon  you 
the  degree  of  Doctor  in  Divinity,  and  that  your  diplo 
ma  is  lodged  in  his  cabinet  till  he  has  your  direction 
how  it  may  be  sent  to  St.  Albans. 

"I  assure  you,  sir,  my  own  degree  did  not  give  me 
half  so  much  pleasure ;  and  I  can  truly  say,  without 
any  compliment,  that  the  title  seems  to  have  acquired 
an  additional  dignity  by  its  being  communicated  to 
you. 

"  The  matter  arose  from  a  long  course  of  observa 
tion,  which  many  years  have  furnished  out,  and  more 
immediately  from  the  masterly  manner  in  which  you 
maintained  the  cause  of  true  religion  and  virtue,  for 
such  I  thought  it,  against  the  artful  sophistry  of  Dr. 
Akenside;  on  which  I  immediately  moved  the  affair 
to  his  lordship,  and  it  had  been  accomplished  much 


HIS  ACADEMICAL  CHARGE.  305 

sooner,  had  not  the  forms  at  Glasgow  been  so  pecul 
iar.  But  the  strictness  of  their  scrutiny  in  all  such 
cases,  makes  the  degrees  they  confer  proportionally 
honorable.  I  enclose  a  copy  of  the  letters  I  trans 
mitted  from  your  good  friends  Dr.  Watts  and  Dr. 
Guyse,  and  only  add  that  I  beg  you  will  be  pleased 
to  accept  of  the  fees,  which  I  have  discharged  as  a 
trifling  acknowledgment  of  my  great  respect.  A  line 
to  Lord  Kilkerran  and  Mr.  Campbell  will,  I  suppose, 
be  sent  of  course.  A  present  of  books  to  the  univer 
sity  library  is,  it  seems,  usual  on  this  occasion. 

"  I  this  day  received  into  my  academy  a  young  gen- 
tleman  of  remarkable  sobriety  and  sweetness  of  tem 
per,  and  one  who,  though  born  to  a  good  inheritance, 
prefers  the  ministry  to  much  more  gainful  employ 
ments,  on  those  principles  which  encourage  me  to 
hope  he  will  be  eminently  useful  in  it.  Indeed,  the 
temper  and  conduct  of  those  youths  already  with  me, 
in  concurrence  with  what  I  know  of  several  who  are 
coming,  give  me  abundant  pleasure,  which  is  increased 
by  observing  a  great  change  for  the  better  in  some 
of  the  young  men  of  the  congregation,  whose  sense 
and  rank  among  us  make  them  most  considerable,  and 
who  some  years,  and  indeed  only  some  few  months 
ago,  seemed  likely  to  prove  a  grief  rather  than  joy  to 
me.  This,  in  concurrence  with  the  delightful  ac 
counts  I  have  from  Kettering,  Harborough,  Apping- 
ham,  and  other  neighboring  places,  as  well  as  others 
more  remote,  where  young  gentlemen  who  were  once 
my  pupils  are  settled  with  united,  large,  and  growing 
congregations,  revives  my  heart  with  a  joy  which  I 
cannot  but  communicate  to  such  a  friend,  and  which 


306  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

I  esteem  a  token  for  good.  But  I  tire  you  and  tres 
pass  on  my  own  time  and  business.  I  desire  to  hear 
of  your  recovery  with  solicitude." 

To  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Fawcett. 

"  NORTHAMPTON,  Sept.  13,  1750. 

"Perhaps  I  should  not  have  written  to  you  so  soon, 
if  it  had  not  been  that  I  am  just  now  in  a  crisis  which 
needs  your  prayers ;  and  to  whom  should  I  go  when 
I  want  prayer  but  to  you,  and  some  of  my  friends 
with  you?  for  in  that  you  are  mighty  men.  You 
have  a  tender  heart  towards  your  friend  on  earth, 
and  a  great  influence  with  the  great  Friend  above; 
and  it  is  in  an  affair  relating  to  His  cause,  that  I  am 
now  to  desire  your  interposition. 

"  I  have  then  to  tell  you,  that  the  hand  of  God 
has  been  upon  me  for  good  in  my  late  journey  in  a 
very  extraordinary  manner.  Never  did  I  observe 
such  a  coincidence  of  events  to  make  my  way  pleas 
ant  and  prosperous ;  never  did  I  perceive  all  my  coun 
sels  more  under  a  divine  direction ;  so  that  events 
occurred,  I  know  not  how,  which  I  should  have  been 
glad  to  have  contrived,  and  must  then  have  adjusted 
with  great  pains  and  application,  that  they  might 
have  been  in  the  state  in  which  I  found  them. 

"  Among  other  things,  some  of  my  friends,  un 
known  to  me,  had  raised  a  subscription  for  maintain 
ing  a  third  tutor  in  my  academy,  who,  while  I  am 
employed  in  theological  studies,  and  Mr.  Clarke  in 
philosophical,  might  teach  the  languages,  not  only  to 
my  academical  pupils,  but  also  to  some  lads  who  are 
forming  their  first  acquaintance  with  them,  or  who, 
though  they  may  have  made  some  progress,  are  not 


HIS  ACADEMICAL  CHARGE.  307 

yet  of  an  age,  standing,  or  attainments,  fit  to  be  ranked 
with  any  of  our  classes.  This  marvellously  secured, 
as  you  see,  two  important  objects  at  once,  that  of 
improving  our  academical  course  of  education,  and 
of  providing  for  the  scheme  of  the  youths,  which  lay 
so  near  my  heart.  And  it  has  had  such  an  effect 
already,  that  whereas  at  midsummer  we  had  four 
vacancies  on  Mr.  Coward's  list  that  we  could  not  fill 
up,  candidates  are  now  offering  faster  than  we  can 
provide  for  them,  both  as  pupils  and  as  scholars,  (you 
will  easily  understand  the  distinction ;)  so  that  where 
as  we  have  hitherto  been  calling  for  vessels,  I  am  now 
beginning  to  fear  for  the  oil.  In  plain  terms,  your 
errand  to  the  throne  of  grace  is  this,  that  a  suitable 
person  may  be  found  to  set  over  this,  important  office, 
and  that  the  hearts  of  Christians  may  be  opened  to 
establish  such  a  fund  for  the  scholars  as  may  be  suffi 
cient  for  their  subsistence. 

"As  to  the  first  of  these,  my  eyes  were  upon  Mr. 
Rose,  private  tutor  to  Mr.  Murray,  nephew  to  the 
earl  of  Dunmore;  a  most  ingenious,  learned,  active, 
prudent,  faithful  man,  and  one  for  whose  fidelity  and 
friendship  I  could  have  ventured  my  life.  He  is  a 
lover  of  God  and  goodness,  though  I  cannot  say  all  I 
could  wish.  But  Lord  Dunmore  will  not  consent  to 
his  undertaking  the  additional  charge,  though  it  would 
have  saved  twenty  pounds  per  annum  for  the  benefit 
of  the  scholars.  I  am  now  therefore  at  a  loss ;  I  have 
sent  every  way  to  inquire,  but  get  no  answer;  and 
whereas  the  plan  was  to  have  been  early  executed, 
the  putting  it  off  as  a  thing  only  projected  may,  as 
you  will  perceive,  be  attended  with  hazardous  conse- 


PHILIP  DODDRIDGE, 

quences.  On  this  account,  I  would  most  earnestly 
entreat  that  God  would  appear,  and  make  no  long 
tarrying. 

"  As  to  the  other,  I  am  now  sending  out  circular 
letters  to  engage  all  the  ministers  in  the  country  in 
this  scheme,  and  by  their  assistance  the  people  of  their 
several  congregations.  This  will  occasion  an  associ 
ation  among  us,  which  is  a  thing  I  have  long  wished ; 
and  I  inclose  in  my  circular  the  plan  of  their  associa 
tions  in  Norfolk  and  Suffolk,  in  consequence  of  which 
six  very  promising  youths  are  now  being  educated. 
But  here  now  is  a  work  for  prayer,  to  entreat  that 
God  would  touch  their  hearts  with  a  right  sense  of 
things,  that  they  may  see  of  how  great  importance  the 
scheme  is,  and  what  a  crisis  we  are  now  come  to  with 
regard  to  it.  I  trust  in  God  that  he  will  appear, 
but  then  we  must  seek  it  in  a  way  of  humble  prayer. 
I  am  getting  all  the  assistance  for  this  purpose  I  can, 
and  I  bless  God  my  mouth  is  often  opened  and  my 
heart  enlarged,  when  I  am  endeavoring  to  plead  his 
cause,  and  I  see  souls  hanging  on  my  lips  and  drink 
ing  in  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus. 

"  Indeed,  my  friend,  I  have  lately  been  not  only 
praying  for  you,  but  solemnly  blessing  God  upon  your 
account ;  that  there  is  such  a  minister,  that  I  have  such 
a  friend,  that  I  have  been  the  honored  instrument  of 
training  up  such  a  pupil,  and  that  I  have  such  a  joyful 
hope,  though  separated  from  him  now,  of  dwelling  with 
him  for  ever,  and  of  seeing  him  with  the  angels  of  God. 

"  I  have  a  thousand  things  to  write,  but  have  no 
time.  I  received  eleven  letters  yesterday,  and  am  so 
covered  with  cares  that  they  almost  bear  me  down; 


HIS  ACADEMICAL  CHARGE.  309 

but  if  they  may  but  be  cares  for  God,  they  are  wel 
come. 

"  I  beseech  you  to  present  my  kind  salutations  to 
all  my  Kidderminster  friends,  and  particularly  to  Mr. 
Williams.  Grace  and  peace  be  ever  with  you." 

To  the  public  performances  of  his  students,  their 
discourses  and  prayers,  the  doctor  listened  with  great 
candor  and  kindness,  forbearing  to  censure  slight 
imperfections  of  matter  or  manner,  which  he  thought 
increasing  experience  would  correct  and  supply,  while 
he  took  great  delight  in  commending  whatever  was 
excellent  and  appropriate.  When  he  noticed  defects 
and  errors,  it  was  done  privately  and  with  great  gen 
tleness.  It  gave  him  unbounded  pleasure  to  witness 
the  signs  of  future  usefulness  and  success  in  those  who 
were  about  to  leave  the  academy  to  enter  upon  the 
scenes  of  pastoral  labor. 

Writing  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Wood,  Sept.  10, 1T41,  he 
says,  "  My  academy  grows  rather  than  declines  since 
the  date  of  my  last ;  and  I  hope  several  pupils  added 
within  these  few  weeks  will  be  in  the  number  of  the 
most  pious  and  able  ministers  our  age  is  producing, 
should  God  spare  their  lives  and  prosper  their  labors 
in  preparatory  studies;  but  I  am  just  going  to  lose 
my  valuable  assistant  Mr.  Orton,  whom  I  had  the 
honor  and  pleasure  to  train  up,  and  who  is  one  of  the 
most  excellent  persons  of  his  age  and  standing  that  I 
ever  knew,  or  ever  expect  to  know." 

Again,  on  another  occasion,  with  great  modesty 
and  humility,  he  thus  writes:   "This  day  Mr.  - 
preached  one  of  the  best  sermons  I  ever  heard,  con- 


310  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

cerning  the  happiness  of  the  children  of  God.  I  had 
preached  one  on  the  subject  some  time  before,  but 
when  I  considered  how  much  superior  his  was  to 
mine,  it  shamed  and  humbled  me ;  yet  I  bless  God  it 
did  not  grieve  me.  If  any  stirrings  of  envy  moved, 
they  were  immediately  suppressed;  and  as  soon  as  I 
came  home,  I  solemnly  returned  my  acknowledgments 
to  God  for  having  raised  up  such  a  minister  to  his 
church,  and  honored  me  with  his  education.  I  recom 
mended  him  to  the  divine  blessing  with  the  tenderest 
affection,  leaving  myself  in  the  hand  of  God,  acqui 
escing  in  the  thought  of  being  eclipsed,  of  being  neg 
lected,  if  he  shall  so  appoint ;  at  the  same  time  ador 
ing  Him,  that  with  capacities  inferior  to  a  multitude 
of  others,  I  have  been  providentially  led  into  services 
superior  to  those  of  many  in  comparison  with  whom 
my  knowledge  and  learning  is  but  that  of  a  child." 

To  his  students,  when  they  were  sick,  he  gave  most 
soothing  and  valuable  attention ;  and  when  any  were 
removed  by  death  from  his  control,  he  poured  out  his 
heart  in  private  sorrow  and  in  affecting  letters  of 
condolence  to  their  mourning  friends.  He  endeavored 
also  to  improve  such  sad  events  as  means  of  exciting 
the  surviving  members  of  his  school  to  aim  at  high 
attainments  in  scholarship,  piety,  and  usefulness. 

The  incongruous  elements  composing  the  member 
ship  of  the  academy  often  gave  special  difficulty  to 
the  mild  and  affectionate  president,  in  managing  the 
cases  of  such  as  were  not  willing  to  conform  to  the 
strict  regulations  by  which  it  was  distinguished.  Had 
it  been  composed  only  of  theological  students,  the 
care  of  it  would  have  been  comparatively  easy ;  but 


HIS  ACADEMICAL  CHARGE.  311 

in  its  number  he  often  had  some  young  gentlemen  of 
large  fortunes,  intended  for  no  particular  profession, 
and  having  no  serious  aims,  as  the  others  had.  It 
was  difficult  therefore  to  frame,  much  less  to  enforce, 
general  laws  that  would  not  bear  hard  upon  one  class 
or  the  other.  It  was  his  desire  to  admit  none  but 
divinity  students;  but  it  was  overruled  by  some  of 
his  influential  friends  and  advisers.  Nevertheless  all 
the  students  were  alike  subjected  to  the  religious 
order  and  discipline  of  the  family. 

The  deportment  which  he  maintained  towards  his 
theological  students,  upon  their  first  entrance  into  the 
ministry,  and  also  in  securing  to  them  eligible  settle 
ments  and  subsequently  in  promoting  their  comfort 
and  usefulness,  by  correspondence  and  other  manifes 
tations  of  personal  interest  in  their  welfare,  is  much  to 
the  credit  of  his  paternal  love  and  eminent  benevo 
lence.  He  was  always  glad  to  see  them  at  Northamp 
ton,  invited  them  to  his  house  as  their  home,  and  treat 
ed  them  as  his  own  beloved  children,  inquiring  after 
their  welfare,  and  manifesting  unaffected  solicitude  to 
promote  it  by  counsel,  instruction,  or  by  any  other 
method  within  the  compass  of  his  ability. 

For  twenty-two  years  he  sustained,  and  with  de 
servedly  high  reputation,  the  post  of  an  academical 
and  theological  instructor  •  and  during  that  time  two 
hundred  young  men  enjoyed  the  advantages  of  the 
school,  of  whom  one  hundred  and  twenty  became 
ministers  of  the  gospel,  while  a  number  died  in  the 
course  of  their  preparatory  studies  for  that  office. 
Students  were  attracted  to  him,  not  from  England 
only,  but  also  from  Scotland  and  Holland. 


312  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

In  reviewing  the  account  which  has  now  been 
given  of  the  admirable  course  pursued  by  Dr.  Dod- 
dridge  towards  his  students,  we  are  prepared  for  the 
announcement  which  Mr.  Orton  makes,  that  "  they  in 
general  loved  him  as  a  father,  and  that  his  paternal 
advices  and  entreaties  weighed  more  with  them  than 
the  commands  of  rigid  authority  or  the  arguments  of 
a  cooler  mind,  when  the  affection  of  the  heart  w^s 
not  felt,  or  not  tenderly  expressed." 

It  was  a  remark  of  Cecil  concerning  Raleigh,  "  I 
know  that  he  can  toil  terribly."  And  says  Mr.  Stough- 
ton,  "  On  looking  at  the  list  of  subjects  in  which 
Doddridge  instructed  his  young  men,  we  are  perfectly 
astonished  at  the  diligence  which  the  variety  of  his 
knowledge  evidently  involved.  Indeed,  at  every  turn 
of  his  life  we  see  that  ther'man  must  have  '  toiled  ter 
ribly.'  Yet,  with  all  his  toil,  it  was  impossible  that 
he  should  make  himself  such  a  master  of  universal 
science  as  to  be  thoroughly  competent  to  teach  the 
whole,  or  have  strength  enough  to  go  regularly  round 
a  circle  of  tuition  so  wide  and  varied ;  and  therefore 
we  cannot  help  congratulating  the  rising  ministry 
that  the  altered  circumstances  and  spirit  of  the  age 
have  enabled  us  to  introduce  the  great  economic  prin 
ciple  of  a  distribution  of  labor  into  our  college  system, 
and  to  allot  to  several  vigorous  and  sanctified  minds 
distinct  departments  of  instruction,  suited  to  their  dif 
ferent  intellectual  tastes  and  literary  attainments." 

The  same  writer  proceeds  to  say,  "  Looking  at  the 
doctor's  herculean  efforts  throughout  one  of  his  aca 
demical  sessions — the  occupations  of  pastor,  author, 
and  tutor  being  combined — we  cannot  doubt  that 


HIS  ACADEMICAL  CHARGE.  313 

welcome  indeed  must  have  been  the  summer  recess, 
allowing  him  some  change  of  scene  and  some  sips  of 
recreation.  As  we  read  his  life  and  letters,  and  fully 
charge  our  mind  with  the  image  of  this  model  of  ear 
nest  diligence,  we  are  really  so  oppressed,  that  we 
feel  relief,  sympathetic  with  his  own,  in  thinking  of 
his  vacations.  We  are  glad  to  go  with  him  on  one 
of  his  trips.  Forthwith  we  sally  out  in  imagination 
along  the  bad  roads  of  the  last  century,  by  some  *  fly 
ing  }  coach  which  managed  to  compass  the  distance 
of  sixty-six  miles  between  Northampton  and  London 
in  a  couple  of  days,  till  we  arrive  at  Mr.  Coward's 
house  at  Walthamstow,  who  entertains  us  with  hearty 
cheer.  Getting  into  a  postchaise  with  him  and  Mr. 
Ashworth,  we  count  with  him  '  thirty-five  gates  made 
fast  with  latches  between  the  last  market-town  and 
Stratford-on-Avon/  where  the  doctor  makes  a  pil 
grimage  to  Shakespeare's  grave.  Next  we  go  with 
him  down  to  the  hospitable  mansion  of  the  Welmans, 
*  the  glory  of  the  Taunton  dissenters/  who  receive  him 
with  '  princely  elegance/  at  '  a  table  fit  for  an  arch 
bishop.'  Then  we  slowly  travel  on  to  Plymouth,  and 
see  our  friend  '  in  a  little  boat  dancing  on  the  swell 
ing  sea/  or  '  feeding  a  tame  bear  with  biscuits ;'  and 
then,  on  his  way  home,  we  peep  into  his  room  at  Lym- 
ington,  where  he  sits,  on  Saturday  night,  in  a  silk 
night-gown  which  Mr.  Pearson  has  lent  him,  writing 
letters  to  his  beloved  Mercy ;  or,  opening  one  of  them 
from  Ongen  in  Essex,  we  find  that  he  has  turned 
angler :  '  I  went  a  fishing  yesterday,  and  with  extra 
ordinary  success;  for  I  pulled  a  minnow  out  of  the 
water,  though  it  made  shift  to  get  away.' " 

Doddridfe.  14 


314  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

As  a  sort  of  resume*  of  what  has  been  said  con 
cerning  Dr.  Doddridge's  academy,  we  close  the  chap 
ter  with  the  racy  sketch  which  is  given  of  it  in  the 
North  British  Review : 

"  Not  only  was  it  the  resort  of  aspirants  to  the 
dissenting  ministry,  but  wealthy  dissenters  were  glad 
to  secure  its  advantages  for  sons  whom  they  were 
training  to  business  or  to  learned  professions.  And 
latterly,  attracted  by  the  reputation  of  its  head,  pupils 
came  from  Scotland  and  from  Holland ;  and,  in  one 
case  at  least,  we  find  a  clergyman  of  the  church  of  Eng 
land  selecting  it  as  the  best  seminary  for  a  son  whom 
he  designed  for  the  established  ministry.  Among 
those  educated  there,  we  find  the  names  of  the  Earl 
of  Dunmore,  Ferguson  of  Kilkerran,  Professor  Gilbert 
Robertson,  and  another  Edinburgh  professor.  James 
Robertson,  famous  in  the  annals  of  his  Hebrew-loving 
family. 

"  With  an  average  attendance  of  forty  young  men, 
mostly  residing  under  his  own  roof,  this  academy 
would  have  furnished  abundant  occupation  to  any 
ordinary  teacher;  and  although  usually  relieved  of 
elementary  drudgery  by  his  assistant,  the  main  burden 
of  instruction  fell  on  Doddridge  himself.  He  taught 
algebra,  geometry,  natural  philosophy,  geography, 
logic,  and  metaphysics.  He  prelected  on  the  Greek 
and  Latin  classics,  and  at  morning  worship  the  Bible 
was  read  in  Hebrew.  Such  of  his  people  as  desired 
it  were  initiated  in  French  ;  and  besides  an  extensive 
course  of  Jewish  antiquities  and  church  history,  they 
were  carried  through  a  history  of  philosophy  on  the 
basis  of  Buddasus.  To  all  of  which  must  be  added 


HIS  ACADEMICAL  CHARGE.  315 

the  main  staple  of  the  curriculum,  a  series  of  two 
hundred  and  fifty  theological  lectures,  arranged,  like 
Stapfer's,  on  the  demonstrative  principle,  and  each 
proposition  following  its  predecessor  with  a  sort  of 
mathematical  precision. 

"Enormous  as  was  the  labor  of  preparing  so  many 
systems,  and  arranging  anew  materials  so  multifarious, 
it  was  still  a  labor  of  love.  A  clear  and  easy  appre 
hension  enabled  him  to  amass  knowledge  with  a  ra 
pidity  which  few  have  ever  rivalled,  and  a  constitu 
tional  orderliness  of  mind  rendered  him  perpetual 
master  of  all  his  acquisitions ;  and,  like  most  million 
aires  in  the  world  of  knowledge,  his  avidity  of  ac 
quirement  was  accompanied  by  an  equal  delight  in 
imparting  his  treasures.  When  the  essential  ingre 
dients  of  his  course  were  completed,  he  relieved  his 
memory  of  its  redundant  stores  by  giving  lectures  on 
rhetoric  and  belles-lettres,  on  the  microscope,  and  on 
the  anatomy  of  the  human  frame ;  and  there  is  one 
feature  of  his  method  which  we  would  especially  com 
memorate,  as  we  fear  that  it  still  remains  an  original 
without  a  copy  : 

"  Sometimes  he  conducted  the  students  into  the 
library,  and  gave  a  lecture  on  its  contents.  Going 
over  it  case  by  case,  and  row  by  row,  he  pointed  out 
the  most  important  authors,  and  indicated  their  char 
acteristic  excellences,  and  fixed  the  mental  association 
by  striking  or  amusing  anecdotes.  Would  not  such 
bibliographical  lectures  be  a  boon  to  all  our  stu 
dents  ?  To  them  a  large  library  is  often  a  labyrinth 
without  a  clue — a  mighty  maze — a  dusty  chaos.  And 
might  not  the  learned  keepers  of  our  great  collections 


316  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

give  lectures  which  would  be  at  once  entertaining  and 
edifying  on  those  rarities,  printed  and  manuscript,  of 
which  they  are  the  favored  guardians,  but  of  which 
their  shelves  are  in  the  fair  way  to  become,  not  the 
dormitory  alone,  but  the  sepulchre  ? 

"Nor  was  it  to  the  mere  intellectual  culture  of 
his  pupils  that  Dr.  Doddridge  directed  his  labors. 
His  academy  was  a  church  within  a  church ;  and  not 
content  with  the  ministrations  which  its  members 
shared  in  common  with  his  stated  congregation,  this 
indefatigable  man  took  the  pains  to  prepare  and 
preach  many  occasional  sermons  to  the  students. 
These,  and  his  formal  addresses,  as  well  as  his  per 
sonal  interviews,  had  such  an  effect,  that  out  of  the 
two  hundred  young  men  who  came  under  his  instruc 
tions,  seventy  made  their  first  public  profession  of 
Christianity  during  their  sojourn  at  Northampton." 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WOKKS.  317 


CHAPTER  VI. 

DODDRIDGE  AS  AN  AUTHOR. 

FKOM  the  commencement  of  his  career  as  a  stu 
dent,  to  the  end  of  his  active  and  useful  life,  Dod- 
dridge  was  distinguished  by  great  diligence  and  eager 
ness  in  the  pursuit  of  knowledge,  and  great  aptitude 
in  the  communication  of  it.  His  resolution  and  per 
severance  in  whatever  he  undertook,  secured  for  him 
a  large  measure  of  success.  Joining  great  quickness 
of  apprehension  to  uncommon  strength  of  memory, 
and  judicious  and  constant  habits  of  study,  he  made 
large  and  valuable  accumulations  of  knowledge — of 
those  branches  of  knowledge  particularly  which  he 
conceived  would  be  most  to  his  advantage  as  a  pastor, 
and  an  instructor.  With  books  he  gained  an  exten 
sive  acquaintance.  On  the  general  topics  of  litera 
ture,  there  were  few  works  of  any  great  value  which 
he  had  not  read  and  digested ;  for  he  read  with  great 
attention,  noting  in  the  margin  the  passages  which  he 
thought  of  special  value,  sometimes  writing  hints, 
making  references  and  reflections  concerning  the  sen 
timents  of  the  authors  read.  He  often  reminded  his 
students  that  the  true  purpose  of  reading  was  not  to 
treasure  up  other  men's  thoughts,  but  to  furnish  the 
mind  with  materials  to  exercise  its  own  powers. 
Adopting  in  his  own  practice  this  judicious  maxim, 
his  mind  became  a  storehouse  of  varied  intellectual 
resources,  upon  which  he  could  rely,  to  supply  his 


318  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

lectures,  scientific  and  religious,  his  discourses  in  the 
pulpit,  and  his  conversation,  which  was  always  instruc 
tive  as  well  as  entertaining. 

In  the  earlier  years  of  his  ministry,  he  gratified  his 
taste  in  a  liberal  study  of  English  literature,  and  with 
great  benefit  to  his  then  future  authorship.  He  was 
sufficiently  versed  in  the  Latin  and  Greek  classics 
to  read  them  with  facility  and  pleasure.  While 
yet  a  student,  he  read  Homer  with  great  delight,  and 
made  critical  annotations  of  sufficient  extent  to  form 
a  considerable  volume,  as  we  have  already  noticed. 
The  philosophers  and  orators  of  antiquity  occupied 
many  of  his  leisure  hours,  Demosthenes  being  a  par 
ticular  favorite.  He  carefully  studied  the  Latin  and 
Greek  fathers,  those  especially  of  the  first  three  cen 
turies.  He  was  skilled  in  the  Hebrew  language  also, 
and  some  time  before  his  death  had  nearly  completed 
a  new  translation  of  the  minor  prophets,  which  is  said 
to  display  great  critical  acumen.  He  indicated  in 
some  of  his  lectures  a  decided  taste  for  philosophical 
and  scientific  investigations.  He  had  not  only  ren 
dered  himself  quite  familiar  with  civil  and  ecclesias 
tical  history,  but  had  turned  it  to  good  account  by 
the  observations  and  reflections  which  he  made  upon 
it,  illustrative  of  human  nature,  of  the  dealings  of 
Providence,  and  of  the  pages  of  the  sacred  volume. 

But  his  force  and  application  of  mind  were  chief 
ly  given  to  theological  investigations  and  writing. 
While  he  studied  carefully  the  works  of  master  minds 
in  this  field  of  inquiry,  and  was  able  to  speak  with 
discrimination  of  their  peculiar  shades  of  opinion,  he 
drew  up  his  own  system,  chiefly  from  the  sacred  Scrip- 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  319 

tures,  which  he  regarded  as  his  only  standard.  As 
he  was  no  slave  to  the  authority  of  others,  so  he  did 
not  affect  to  distinguish  himself  by  any  of  those  pe 
culiarities  of  opinion  which  learned  men  are  often 
fond  of,  and  which,  in  most  instances,  are  rather  in 
jurious  than  solid.  His  "Lectures  on  Divinity"  were 
published  after  his  death,  and  are  regarded  as  a  noble 
monument  of  learning  well  digested,  though  exhibited 
in  a  method  perhaps  too  technical  and  formal. 

"Upon  the  whole,"  says  Orton,  "it  may,  I  think, 
with  great  justice  be  said  of  Doddridge,  that,  though 
others  might  exceed  him  in  their  acquaintance  with 
antiquity  or  their  skill  in  the  languages,  yet,  in  the 
extent  of  his  learning  and  the  variety  of  useful  and 
important  knowledge  he  had  acquired,  he  was  sur 
passed  by  few." 

Having  acquired,  as  we  have  said,  large  stores  of 
varied  knowledge,  he  had  learned  also  the  art  of  com 
municating  his  thoughts  with  great  clearness,  propri 
ety,  order,  and  persuasive  power.  He  possessed  a 
remarkable  command  of  language,  and  had  formed 
his  style  on  the  best  of  English  models.  It  was  lu 
cid,  but  inclined  to  be  diffuse.  Fine  writing  was  no 
part  of  his  effort,  for  he  studied  invariably  to  adapt 
himself  to  the  apprehension  and  improvement  of  plain 
readers.  He  endeavored,  both  in  preaching  and  in 
writing,  to  adapt  himself  to  the  popular  mind  of  the 
age,  and  to  promote  the  enlightenment  and  the  piety 
of  the  masses.  He  might  have  attained  the  highest 
reputation  as  a  literary  man,  and  an  elegant  writer ; 
but,  for  the  sake  of  a  higher  usefulness,  he  deliberate 
ly  sacrificed  all  the  fame  of  this  sort  which  was  with- 


UNIVERSITY]) 


320  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

in  his  grasp,  and,  as  wo  have  seen,  ho  inculcated  upon 
his  theological  students  the  exorcise  of  a  similar  self- 
denial. 

Such  were  the  endowments  and  views  qualifying 
Dr.  Dodd  ridge  for  his  distinguished  career  as  an  au 
thor.  Some  notice  will  now  be  taken  of  UK-  principal 
works  which  ho  has  furnished  to  the  world. 

About  the  year  1780,  the  Dissenters'  interest  in 
Knglaud  had  sustained  an  evident  decline,  as  com 
pared  wilh  former  periods,  and  an  anonymous  work 
attracted  public,  sil.lenlion  under  tho  title  of  "An  In 
quiry  into  tho  Causes  of  the  Decay  of  tin;  Dissenting 
Interest."  Tho  writer  failed  to  discern  and  exhibit 
tho  most  imporlMiit  causes  of  such  decay;  assigning  as 
causes,  tho  bigotry  of  the  orthodox  party,  the  unrea 
sonable  length  of  sermons,  tho  undue  brevity  of  the 
pravers,  and  the  neglect  of  the  rising  generation. 
The  grand  remedy  which  he  proposed  for  such  a  de 
cline,  was  the  cultivation,  on  the  part  of  the  dissent 
ing  ministers,  of  polite  and  gentlemanly  habits.  This 
Ire.-ilise,  falling  into  tho  hands  of  Mr.  Doddridge,  in 
duced  him  to  write  and  to  publish  a  reply,  which  ho 
entitled  "  |<Yec  Thoughts  on  the  Best  Means  of  Reviv 
ing  tho  Dissent  ing  I  n  I  crest,"  ono  of  the  first  of  his  pub- 
licalions.  lie  therein  shows  th:it  the  dissenting  in 
terest  had  declined  in  consequence  of  a  declension  in 
godliness  among  dissenters,  and  that  the  best  method 
of  advancing  I  hat  interest  was  to  take  effectual  meas 
ures  for  the  revival  of  practical  religion.  For  this 
purpose  he  suggested  that  a,  change  was  required  in 
the  general  style  of  preaching;  (hat  instead  of  being 


HIS  rUHLISHKF)  WORKS.  821 

coldly  orthodox  JIIK!  eorreet,  il,  must  be  lull  of  earmvl- 
ncss  and  unction;  evangelical  in  spirit  JIH  wol I  an  doe- 
trino ;  adapted  to  interest  and  instruct  tho  connnoii 
people;  experimental,  plain,  and  ailectionate.  llo 
un'vd  also  upon  all  dissenters  a  consistent  ChristiftO 
course  of  conduct,  tho  religious  culture  of  tho  young, 
and  a  benignant,  courteous  disposition  towards  all  tho 
professed  followers  of  Christ. 

The  works  next  given  to  the  press  wore  chiefly 
Sermons,  and  are  thus  briefly  described  by  his  own 
pen:  "Tin*  lour  sermons  on  tho  education  of  children 
were  published  in  1732,  find  recommended  by  a  pref 
ace  written  by  the  Rev.  David  Some.  In  1734,  these 
were  followed  by  six  sermons  to  young  IKM.HII;  lOn 
the  Importance  of  the  Rising  Generation,"  Christ  form 
ed  in  the  Soul/  'Tho  Danger  of  JJad  Company/  'Tho 
Orphan's  Nope/  'Religious  Youth  invited  to  Karly 
Communion/ and 'The  Lamentations  of  a  Pious  Father 
on  tho  Death  of  a  Wicked  Child.'  Tho  last  was  one 
of  my  first  sermons,  and  preached  while  I  was  at  tho 
academy,  under  tho  direction  of  my  worthy  tutor,  who 
chose  the  subject  and  assisted  rno  in  its  composition. 
In  1735, 1  printed  a  single,  sermon  'On  the  Care  of  tin; 
Soul  MB  the  OIK-  Thin";  needful/ sit  the  desire  of  :i.  per 
son  of  quality,  at  whose  house  it  was  preached.  In 
I.7IU),  a  sermon  preached  on  the  preceding  fifth  of  No 
vember,  entitled  'The  Absurdity  and  Iniquity  of  Per- 
:-reulion  for  Conscience' Sake  in  all  its  Kinds  and  l)e- 
grees.'  1 1,  was  proposed  as  an  appendix  to  the  sermons 
against  Popery,  preached  at  Saltcr's  Hall  that  year, 
as  the  growth  of  Popery  in  and  about  London  had 
been  observed  to  bo  very  great.  Jn  the  same  year  1 

14* 


322  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

published  'Ten  Sermons  on  the  Power  and  Grace  of 
Christ,  and  the  Evidence  of  His  glorious  Gospel.7 
These  sermons  were  preached  at  the  desire  of  that 
munificent  benefactor  to  the  cause  of  non-conformity, 
William  Coward,  Esq. ;  and  the  last  three  were  so 
agreeable  to  Dr.  Seeker,  then  Bishop  of  Oxford,  that 
he  expressed  his  desire  to  me  that  they  might  be  pub 
lished  alone,  for  the  use  of  junior  students,  whose  of 
fice  calls  them  to  defend  Christianity ;  and  perhaps  I 
have  not  written  any  thing  with  greater  accuracy,  or 
which  will  be  found  more  adapted  to  the  use  of  junior 
students  in  theology." 

It  afforded  singular  pleasure  to  the  author  of  these 
sermons  to  learn,  that  two  gentlemen  of  liberal  edu 
cation  and  distinguished  talents  were  by  the  reading 
of  them  brought  to  the  abandonment  of  Deism,  and 
to  the  conviction  of  the  divine  origin  and  truth  of 
Christianity.  One  of  them,  moreover,  who  had  been 
particularly  active  in  awakening  prejudices  against 
the  gospel  in  the  minds  of  others,  became  a  zealous 
preacher  and  distinguished  ornament  of  the  religion 
he  once  decried,  disparaged,  and  contemned. 

The  works  just  referred  to,  and  some  others  in  the 
advocacy  of  practical  religion,  are  noticed  with  suffi 
cient  interest  in  the  correspondence,  to  justify  the  in 
troduction  at  this  point  of  several  letters,  from  which 
we  learn  the  favorable  reception  accorded  to  them. 

In  the  year  1738  commenced  a  correspondence  be 
tween  Dr.  Doddridge  and  Dr.  "Warburton,  once  a 
country  attorney,  but  who  afterwards  became  bishop 
of  Gloucester,  where  he  died  in  1771,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-one.  In  learning,  and  in  some  of  the  minor 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  323 

doctrines  of  Christianity,  they  warmly  agreed,  and 
greatly  admired  each  other;  but  as  to  the  peculiar 
doctrines  of  the  gospel,  they  had  little  sympathy  in 
common.  Dr.  Samuel  Johnson  gives  a  very  correct 
character  of  Warburton  when  he  says,  "  He  was  a 
man  of  vigorous  faculties ;  a  mind  fervent  and  vehe 
ment,  supplied  by  incessant  and  vivid  inquiry  with 
wonderful  extent  and  variety  of  knowledge,  which 
yet  had  not  oppressed  his  imagination  nor  clouded 
his  perspicuity.  To  every  work  he  brought  a  memory 
full  fraught,  with  a  fancy  fertile  of  original  combina 
tions  ;  and  at  once  exerted  the  powers  of  the  scholar, 
the  reasoner,  and  the  wit.  But  his  knowledge  was 
too  multifarious  to  be  always  exact,  and  his  pursuits 
were  too  eager  to  be  always  cautious." 

From  theRev.  W.  Warburton,  D.  D. 

"  BRANT  BROUGHTON,  August  13,  1739. 

"I  am  sorry  to  hear  you  have  been  ill  since  I  wrote 
my  last,  but  am  glad  I  heard  not  of  it  till  I  heard  of 
your  recovery  along  with  it.  What  you  say  of  your 
success  in  your  ministry,  and  in  your  academical  ca 
pacity,  gives  me  infinite  pleasure  on  your  account. 
And  it  is  impossible  the  author  of  the  *  Free  Thoughts/ 
etc.,  should  meet  with  less;  or  he  who  observes  the 
directions  there  laid  down.  I  am  in  doubt  whether 
that  pamphlet  be  yours,  because  of  your  silence  on 
that  head ;  but  I  will  venture  to  tell  you  it  is  a  mas 
terpiece,  both  for  the  matter  and  composition,  and 
therefore  I  wish  it  yours." 

Few  facts  in  the  history  of  conversions  more  strik 
ingly  illustrate  the  sovereignty  of  divine  grace  than 
those  connected  with  Messrs.  West  and  Lyttelton, 


324  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

both  gentlemen  of  the  highest  respectability  in  soci 
ety,  and  eminent  in  the  literary  world.  When  young 
men,  they  were  both  entangled  in  the  snares  of  infi 
delity,  and  zealous  to  deliver  their  fellow-men  from 
what  they  considered  the  superstitions  of  Christian 
ity.  To  effect  this,  they  each  resolved  to  select  some 
leading  supposed  fact  of  that  system,  and  to  show  its 
inconsistency  with  truth.  West  selected  the  resur 
rection  of  Christ,  and  Sir  George,  afterwards  Lord 
Lyttelton,  the  conversion  of  Paul.  They  entered  rig 
idly  and  honestly  on  their  respective  tasks,  but  to  their 
own  surprise  and  that  of  their  companions,  the  careful 
examination  of  these  great  facts  fully  convinced  them 
of  their  irresistible  truth,  and  led  them  as  little  chil 
dren  to  embrace  the  great  doctrines  of  revelation. 
The  university  conferred  on  Mr.  West,  for  the  service 
he  had  thus  rendered  to  Christianity,  the  degree  of 
LL.  D.,  and  offered  the  same  honor  to  Sir  George 
Lyttelton,  which,  says  Dr.  Hunt,  "he  declined  in  a 
handsome  manner,  by  saying  that  he  chose  not  to  be 
under  any  particular  attachments ;  that  if  he  should 
happen  to  write  any  thing  of  the  like  kind  for  the  fu 
ture,  it  might  not  appear  to  proceed  from  any  other 
motive  but  a  pure  desire  of  doing  good.  Their  friend 
ship  and  correspondence  were  highly  valued  by  Dr. 
Doddridge. 

These  facts  will  give  force  to  a  part  of  the  follow 
ing  letter : 

To  Mrs.  Doddridge. 

"NORTHAMPTON,  January  31,  1743. 
"I  have  finished  my  'View  of  the  Principles  of 
Christianity,  in  short  and  easy  Verse  for  the  use  of 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  325 

Little  Children;'  for  which,  I  hope  both 's  and 

yours  may  be  something  the  better.  I  am  not  asham 
ed  of  these  little  services,  for  I  had  rather  feed  the 
lambs  of  Christ  than  rule  a  kingdom. 

"I  received  by  Wednesday's  post  a  very  obliging 
letter  from  Mr.  Lyttelton,  to  whom  I  sent  my  late 
pamphlet — ['Letters  to  the  author  of  'Christianity 
not  founded  on  Argument.']  He  tells  me  he  never 
yet  read  the  author  on  whom  I  animadvert,  but  heard 
from  Dr.  Ayscough  that  he  had  wit  and  malignity 
enough  to  deserve  my  notice ;  and  that  he  is  glad  such 
an  antidote  is  prepared  against  the  poison.  These 
are  his  words.  He  adds,  '  There  is  nothing  I  am  more 
pleased  with  in  your  performance,  though  it  is  all  very 
good,  than  that  gentleness  and  candor,  so  becoming  a 
Christian  and  a  divine,  with  which  you  treat  your 
adversary  in  confuting  his  doctrines.  Such  a  treatise 
is,  I  am  persuaded,  much  more  likely  to  make  him 
ashamed  of  himself,  and  to  gain  every  reader  to  your 
side  of  the  question,  than  the  sharpest  invectives  that 
could  have  been  used;  and  I  heartily  wish  that  all 
who  defend  the  same  good  cause  would,  in  this  re 
spect,  follow  your  example.7 

"  He  adds  his  earnest  desire  of  seeing  all  I  write  in 
the  progress  of  this  controversy,  and  concludes  with 
very  obliging  professions  of  sincere  esteem  and  regard.'7 

From  W.  Oliver,  M.  D. 

"  BATH,  January  15,  1744. 

"  Your  answer  to  the  artful  author  of  the  pamphlet 
'  Christianity  not  founded  on  Argument,'  gave  me 
great  pleasure.  You  effectually  pluck  that  snake  out 
of  the  grass,  under  which  he  endeavored  to  conceal 


326  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

himself;  you  dispel  the  mists  and  fogs  with  which  he 
hoped  to  obscure  the  truth ;  and  you  plainly  prove 
that  the  religion  of  Jesus  is  founded  on  the  immutable 
basis  of  the  eternal  difference  between  right  and  wrong, 
confirmed  and  propagated  by  the  most  solid  arguments, 
and  therefore  highly  worthy  to  be  embraced  by  all 
reasonable  creatures. 

"  Horace's  observation,  '  difficile  est  proprw  com- 
munia  dicere,'  makes  your  sermon  on  the  erection  of 
your  county  hospital  the  more  valuable.  Public 
charities  have  long  been  so  trite  a  subject  in  the  pul 
pit,  that  we  scarcely  expect  any  thing  new  from  the 
ablest  preacher.  But  you,  sir,  have  treated  it  in 
so  masterly  a  manner,  that  the  reader  will  find  his 
passions  awakened  into  tenderness  and  compassion 
towards  the  sick  and  the  distressed,  which  had  slept 
benumbed  under  the  warmest  influences  of  preceding 
discourses  on  that  really  affecting  topic. 

"  You  write  as  if  you  felt,  while  others  seem  to 
desire  that  their  brethren  should  feel  what  they  them 
selves  are  insensible  of.  They  write  from  the  head, 
but  you  from  the  heart." 

In  reference  to  this  matter  of  the  hospital,  Dr. 
Kippis  observes,  "  I  have  a  full  recollection  of  the 
zeal  and  activity  with  which  Dr.  Doddridge  entered 
into  the  scheme  of  erecting  an  infirmary  for  North 
amptonshire.  The  success  of  the  design  was  much 
owing  to  his  exertions." 

To  Mr.  Wilbaum. 

"  December  20,  1749. 

"  As  the  author  of '  Christianity  not/  etc.,  pretend 
ed  to  cry  up  the  immediate  testimony  of  the  Spirit, 


HIS  ^PUBLISHED  WORKS.  327 

and  to  assert  its  absolute  necessity  in  order  to  the 
belief  of  the  gospel,  he  endeavored  to  undermine  all 
the  rational  evidences  by  which  it  could  be  supported, 
and  advanced  several  very  shrewd  insinuations  against 
their  truth,  in  what  I  thought  a  most  pernicious  point 
of  view.  I  therefore  answered  it  in  three  letters, 
quickly  succeeding  each  other,  Nov.  5,  Dec.  1,  1742, 
and  March  5,  1743.  In  these  I  handled  some  topics 
which  seemed  of  great  importance,  more  particularly 
than  I  had  seen  them  elsewhere  examined.  In  the 
first  was  laid  down  the  degree  of  rational  evidence 
for  the  divine  authority  of  Christianity  to  which  an 
illiterate  well-disposed  person  may  attain.  In  the 
second,  the  reasonableness  of  annexing  a  condemna 
tory  sentence  on  unbelievers,  as  a  part  of  the  Chris 
tian  revelation ;  and  in  the  third,  something  on  the  doc 
trine  of  divine  influences.  I  have  sometimes  thought 
that  what  is  of  general  concern  in  these  letters,  de 
tached  from  what  is  peculiar  to  the  author  opposed, 
and  published  with  my  three  sermons  in  proof  of 
Christianity  and  the  essay  on  the  inspiration  of  the 
New  Testament,  might  be  of  considerable  service, 
and  would  give  a  very  compendious,  and  I  hope 
satisfactory  view  of  these  kindred  subjects;  of  the 
vast  importance  of  which  none  can  doubt,  and  which 
never  needed  to  be  more  clearly  stated  and  strongly 
enforced  than  now." 

In  1741,  Dr.  Doddridge  published  "Practical  Dis 
courses  on  Regeneration,"  which  had  been  preached  on 
Sabbath  evenings  before  large  audiences  composed 
of  persons  of  different  denominations,  and  to  many 


328  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

of  these  persons  they  were  made  the  happy  means  of 
effecting  the  great  spiritual  change  which  they  so  ful 
ly  and  eloquently  treated.  When  published,  a  wider 
usefulness  of  the  same  kind  was  exerted. 

Concerning  these  sermons,  the  venerable  Dr. 
Isaac  Watts  thus  wrote  to  Doddridge,  Dec.  14, 1741 : 
"I  should  tell  you  also,  that  as  I  am  much  pleased 
with  your  book  on  Regeneration,  we  have  begun  it  as 
the  evening  exercise  on  the  Lord's  day  in  our  family ; 
and  may  our  Lord  Jesus  pronounce  a  word  of  bless 
ing  on  all  that  you  write  and  speak." 

The  following  notice  of  the  work  occurs  in  a  let 
ter  of  Dr.  Doddridge : 

"  Two  sermons  on  salvation  by  grace,  which  I 
preached  at  Rowel,  in  the  course  of  my  ordinary  min 
istry,  I  was  so  much  urged  to  publish  that  I  could  not 
oppose  it.  I  labored  to  state  my  ideas  on  that  impor 
tant  subject  in  a  scriptural,  rather  than  in  a  systemat 
ical  manner ;  as  I  did  also  in  those  '  Ten  Sermons  on 
Regeneration/  which,  by  the  importunity  of  my  peo 
ple,  to  whom  they  were  preached  as  a  course  of  even 
ing  lectures,  I  was  prevailed  upon  to  give  to  the 
public.  A  second  edition  was  demanded  in  the  year 
1745,  when  I  added  a  postscript  to  the  preface,  in 
which  I  examined  the  notion  of  baptismal  regenera 
tion,  and  endeavored,  in  a  few  words,  to  obviate  those 
mistaken  principles,  which  Mr.  Taylor  of  Norwich  had 
advanced,  in  explaining  some  of  the  doctrines  handled 
in  these  sermons." 

We  are  told,  that  one  of  the  last  works  read  to 
the  late  celebrated  John  Foster,  a  day  or  two  before 
his  death,  was  a  sermon  by  Dr.  Doddridge,  on  "  the 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  329 

incapacity  of  an  unregenerate  soul  for  relishing  the 
enjoyments  of  the  heavenly  world ;"  and  that  he  was 
so  struck  with  this  sermon,  that  he  desired  his  daugh 
ters  to  promise  him  they  would  read  it  every  month, 
saying  that  he  thought  no  one  could  read  it  often 
without  a  salutary  effect. 

In  1744  Dr.  Doddridge  published  the  work  by 
which  he  is  best  known,  and  which  God  has  honored 
in  the  conversion  of  thousands  of  sinners — "  The  Rise 
and  Progress  of  Religion  in  the  Soul."  Of  this  vol 
ume,  written  on  a  plan  partly  suggested  by  Dr.  Isaac 
Watts,  to  whom  also  it  was  dedicated,  its  author  thus 
wrote :  "  This  is  the  book  which,  so  far  as  I  can  judge, 
God  has  honored  for  the  conversion  and  edification 
of  souls  more  than  any  of  my  writings.  The  editions 
and  translations  of  it  have  been  multiplied  far  beyond 
my  hope  and  expectation,  and  I  cannot  mention  it 
without  humbly  owning  that  great  hand  of  God  which 
has  been  with  it,  and  to  which  I  desire  with  unaffect 
ed  abasement  of  mind  to  ascribe  all  the  glory  of  its 
acceptance  and  success." 

Since  the  death  of  its  excellent  author  the  sale  of 
this  work,  and  consequently  its  usefulness,  has  extend 
ed  almost  beyond  example.  Edition  has  followed 
edition  to  a  nearly  indefinite  extent,  and  it  has  been 
also  translated  into  nearly  all  the  European,  and 
many  of  the  eastern  languages.  Its  prevailing  excel 
lence  is  the  heart-subduing  fervor  of  devotion  which 
animates  its  pages,  and  awakens  in  the  heart  of  its 
reader  a  kindred  emotion.  We  can  readily  believe 
Orton  when  he  tells  us  that  it  contains  the  whole 


330  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

substance  of  its  author's  preaching,  and  agree  that 
"there  is  hardly  any  single  treatise  which  may  be 
more  serviceable  to  young  ministers  and  students,  if 
they  would  make  it  familiar  to  their  minds." 

The  beneficial  influence  of  this  work  for  upwards 
of  a  century  it  is  most  delightful  to  imagine.  To 
estimate  it  fully  is  impossible. 

Doctor  Watts  not  only  suggested  the  general  plan, 
and  urged  the  composition  of  the  work,  but  watched 
and  encouraged  the  progress  of  it  in  the  most  earnest 
manner:  thus,  Sept.  20,  1743,  he  writes,  "Since  you 
were  pleased  to  read  me  some  chapters  of '  The  JRise 
and  Progress  of  Religion  in  the  Soul/  I  am  the  more 
zealous  for  its  speedy  conclusion  and  publication,  and 
beg  you  would  not  suffer  any  other  matters  to  divert 
your  attention,  since  I  question  whether  you  can  do 
any  thing  more  necessary."  Again,  Dec.  14,  1743, 
u  I  thank  you  that  your  heart  is  so  much  set  upon  the 
book  I  recommended  you  to  undertake.  I  long  for 
it,  as  I  hope  it  will  be  a  means  of  great  usefulness. 
Grace  and  peace,  and  all  the  blessings  of  time  and 
of  eternity,  be  with  you,  good  Mrs.  Doddridge,  and 
all  your  house." 

The  day  after  the  date  of  this  letter,  Dr.  Dod 
dridge  thus  writes  to  Dr.  Samuel  Clarke:  "I  am 
hard  at  work  upon  my  book  of  the  '  Rise  and  Prog 
ress  of  Religion/  which  Dr.  Watts  is  impatient  to 
see,  and  I  am  eager  to  finish,  lest  he  should  slip 
away  to  heaven  before  it  is  done.  It  indeed  appears 
a  piece  of  so  much  importance  that  I  transcribe  it 
into  longhand  myself,  which  at  first  I  did  not  at  all 
intend  to  do." 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  331 

In  Sept.  1744,  Dr.  Watts  again  writes :  "  I  long 
to  have  your  '  Kise  and  Progress  of  Religion ;  appear 
in  the  world.  I  wish  my  health  had  been  so  far 
established  that  I  could  have  read  every  line  with  the 
attention  it  merits  ;  but  I  am  not  ashamed,  by  what  I 
have  read,  to  recommend  it  as  the  best  treatise  on 
practical  religion  which  is  to  be  found  in  our  lan 
guage,  and  I  pray  God  that  it  may  be  extensively 
beneficial." 

From  the  Rev.  Francis  Ayscough,  D.  D. 

"  EVERARD-STKEET,  Feb.  16, 1745. 

"  I  really  am  ashamed,  when  I  look  on  the  date  of 
your  letter,  to  think  how  long  I  have  left  it  unanswer 
ed  ;  I  will  not  make  excuses,  but  choose  rather  to  own 
myself  to  have  been  to  blame,  and  to  promise  to  be 
better  for  the  future.  After  so  frank  a  confession,  I 
hope  you  will  think  my  penitence  sincere ;  but  though 
I  omitted  answering  your  letter,  I  must  do  myself  the 
justice  to  say  I  did  not  neglect  the  business  you  wrote 
about.  I  presented  your  last  book  to  her  royal  high 
ness,  and  ought  long  enough  ago  to  have  acquainted 
you  with  her  most  gracious  acceptance  of  it,  and  that 
I  was  commanded  to  return  you  her  thanks  for  it. 
There  is  indeed  such  a  spirit  of  piety  in  it  as  deserves 
the  thanks  of  every  good  Christian ;  pray  God  grant 
it  may  have  its  proper  effect  in  awakening  this  pres 
ent  careless  age,  and  then,  I  am  sure,  you  will  have 
your  end  in  publishing  it." 

Among  the  most  eminent  friends  and  correspond 
ents  of  Dr.  Doddridge  was  Sir  James  Stonehouse,  for 
many  years  a  distinguished  physician  of  Northampton. 


332  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

When  he  first  went  to  that  town  he  was  strongly 
inclined  to  infidelity,  in  defence  of  which  he  publish 
ed  a  volume  which  passed  through  three  editions. 
The  amiable  character  of  Dr.  Doddridge  won  his 
esteem,  and  led  to  discussions  which  ultimately  deliv 
ered  Sir  James  from  the  delusions  he  had  long  cher 
ished,  and  brought  him  "  in  his  right  mind  "  to  Jesus. 
In  his  after-life  he  relinquished  the  extensive  and 
lucrative  duties  of  his  profession,  and  entered  the 
ministry  in  the  established  church.  He  was  associat 
ed  with  some  of  the  most  devoted  Christians  of  his 
day,  including  Doddridge,  Hervey,  Whitefield,  and 
Lady  Huntingdon. 

We  are  not  willing  to  leave  this  subject  till  we 
have  transcribed  part  of  a  letter  by  Dr.  Doddridge 
relating  to  the  remarkable  conversion  of  Sir  James 
Stonehouse,  as  it  is  connected  with  "  The  Rise  and  Prog 
ress."  It  was  written  to  the  Rev.  Risdon  Darracott, 
under  date  of  March,  1747. 

"  One  of  the  most  signal  instances  in  which  God 
has  ever  honored  me,  was  in  the  conversion  of  a  phy 
sician  in  this  town,  who  was  once  a  most  abandoned 
rake,  and  an  audacious  deist.  God  made  me  the 
means,  first  of  bringing  him  to  a  conviction  of  the 
truth  of  Christianity,  then  of  correcting  his  morals, 
and  bringing  him  to  attend  the  public  worship  of  God 
at  church;  and  at  length  of  enlightening  his  mind 
with  that  true  and  saving  knowledge  of  Christ  to 
which,  I  bless  God,  he  has  now  attained.  He  has 
written  many  most  truly  Christian  letters  to  his  old 
companions;  and  has  already,  as  he  informs  me  in  a 
letter  which  I  received  from  him  last  post,  for  he  is 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  333 

now  in  London,  been  the  means  of  converting  an  inti 
mate  friend  who  was  once  as  great  a  deist  as  himself, 
so  that  he  has  become  a  true  lover  of  Jesus  Christ. 
This  is  indeed  an  amazing  change.  Good  Mr.  Her- 
vey  has  been  honored  as  a  fellow-laborer  with  me  in 
this  work.  My  book  on  the  '  Rise  and  Progress  of 
Religion/  has  been,  I  hope,  honored  of  God  as  one 
great  means  of  producing  this  blessed  change.  He 
has  read  it  again  and  again,  and  marked  with  a  line 
drawn  under  them  some  hundreds  of  passages  which 
occur  in  that  treatise." 

This  reference  to  Mr.  Hervey  gives  us  an  oppor 
tunity  of  making  the  reader  better  acquainted  with 
him.  About  ten  months  before  Doddridge  thus  men 
tions  him,  the  doctor  had  received  from  the  Rev.  Rich 
ard  Pearsall  of  Taunton,  one  of  his  former  pupils,  a 
letter  containing  this  passage :  "  This  week  I  have 
been  surprised  by  a  book  which  fell  into  my  hands, 
entitled  '  Meditations  upon  the  Tombs  and  on  a  Flower- 
Garden,  by  James  Hervey,  A.  B.7  I  have  been  charm 
ed  with  the  lively  images,  striking  expressions,  and 
serious  piety  which  I  find  there.  I  wondered  much 
to  see  a  young  clergyman  acquainted  so  much  with 
the  genius  of  the  gospel,  and  animated  with  such  a 
warm  love  to  the  Redeemer.  Pray,  dear  sir,  do  you 
know  who  and  where  he  is?  Not  that  I  think  the 
question  will  be  needed  to  be  asked  long,  if  he  goes 
on  to  publish." 

The  reader  is  now  prepared  for  a  passage  from  the 
beautiful  pen  of  Dr.  James  Hamilton,  of  London. 

"  Near  Northampton  stands  the  little  parish  church 


334  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

of  Western  Favel.  Its  young  minister  was  one  of 
Doddridge's  dearest  friends.  He  was  a  tall  and  spec 
tral-looking  man,  dying  daily ;  and  like  so  many  in 
that  district,  was  a  debtor  to  his  distinguished  neigh 
bor.  After  he  became  minister  of  his  hereditary  par 
ish,  and  when  he  was  preaching  with  more  earnestness 
than  light,  he  was  one  day  acting  on  a  favorite  medi 
cal  prescription  of  that  period,  and  accompanying  a 
ploughman  along  the  furrow  in  order  to  smell  the 
fresh  earth.  The  ploughman  was  a  pious  man,  and 
attended  the  Castle-Hill  meeting;  and  the  young  par 
ish  minister  asked  him, '  What  do  you  think  the  hard 
est  thing  in  religion?'  The  ploughman  respectfully 
returned  the  question,  excusing  himself  as  an  ignorant 
man ;  and  the  minister  said,  '  I  think  the  hardest 
thing  in  religion  is  to  deny  sinful  self;'  and  expatiat 
ing  some  time  on  its  difficulties,  asked  if  any  thing 
could  be  harder.  'No,  sir,  except  it  be  to  deny 
righteous  self.'  At  the  moment  the  minister  thought 
his  parishioner  a  strange  fellow,  or  a  fool;  but  he 
never  forgot  the  answer,  and  was  soon  a  convert  to 
the  ploughman's  creed.  James  Hervey  had  a  mind 
of  uncommon  gorgeousness.  His  thoughts  all  march 
ed  to  a  stately  music,  and  were  arrayed  in  the  richest 
superlatives.  Nor  was  it  affectation.  It  was  the 
necessity  of  his  ideal  nature,  and  was  a  merciful  com 
pensation  for  his  scanty  powers  of  outward  enjoyment. 
As  he  sat  in  his  little  parlor  watching  the  saucepan 
in  which  his  dinner  of  gruel  was  simmering,  and  filled 
up  the  moments  with  his  microscope,  or  a  page  of  the 
Astro-Theology,  in  his  tour  of  the  universe  he  soon 
forgot  the  pains  and  miseries  of  his  corporeal  resi- 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  335 

dence.  To  him  '  Nature  was  Christian ;7  -and  after 
his  own  soul  had  drunk  in  all  the  joy  of  the  gospel,  it 
became  his  favorite  employment  to  read  it  in  the  fields 
and  the  firmament.  One  product  of  these  researches 
was  his  famous  '  Meditations.'  They  were  in  fact  a 
sort  of  astro-  and  physico-evangelism,  and  as  their 
popularity  was  amazing,  they  must  have  contributed 
extensively  to  the  cause  of  Christianity.  They  were 
followed  by  '  Theron  and  Aspasio ' — a  series  of  dia 
logues  and  letters  on  the  most  important  points  of 
personal  religion,  in  which,  after  the  example  of 
Cicero,  solid  instruction  is  conveyed  amid  the  charms 
of  landscape,  and  the  amenities  of  friendly  intercourse. 
This  latter  work  is  memorable  as  one  of  the  first  at 
tempts  to  popularize  systematic  divinity ;  and  it  should 
undeceive  those  who  deem  dulness  the  test  of  truth, 
when  they  find  the  theology  of  Yitringa  and  Witsius 
enshrined  in  one  of  our  finest  prose  poems.  It  was 
hailed  with  especial  rapture  by  the  Seceders  of  Scot 
land,  who  recognized  'the  Marrow7  in  this  lordly 
dish,  and  were  justly  proud  of  their  unexpected  apos 
tle.  Many  of  them,  that  is,  many  of  the  few  who 
achieved  the  feat  of  a  London  journey,  arranged  to 
take  Weston  on  their  way,  and  eschewing  the  Ram 
Inn,  and  the  adjacent  academy,  they  turned  in  to 
Aspasio's  lowly  parsonage.  Here  they  found  a  '  reed 
shaking  in  the  wind:7  a  panting  invalid  nursed  by 
his  tender  mother  and  sister ;  and  when  the  Sabbath 
came,  James  Erskine,  or  Dr.  Pattison,  or  whoever  the 
pilgrim  might  be,  saw  a  great  contrast  to  his  own 
teeming  meeting-house  in  the  little  flock  that  assem 
bled  in  the  little  church  of  Weston  Pavel.  But  that 


PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

flock  hung  with  up-looking  affection  on  the  moveless 
attitude  and  faint  accents  of  their  emaciated  pastor, 
and  with  Scotch-like  alacrity  turned  up  and  marked 
in  their  Bibles  every  text  which  he  quoted;  and 
though  they  could  not  report  the  usual  accessories  of 
clerical  fame,  the  melodious  voice,  and  graceful  elocu 
tion,  and  gazing  throng,  the  visitors  carried  away  '  a 
thread  of  the  mantle/  and  long  cherished  as  a  sacred 
remembrance  the  hours  spent  with  this  Elijah  before 
he  went  over  Jordan.  Others  paid  him  the  compli 
ment  of  copying  his  style ;  and  both  among  the  evan 
gelical  preachers  of  the  Scotch  establishment  and  its 
secession,  the  '  Meditations '  became  a  frequent  model. 
A  few  imitators  were  very  successful,  for  their  spirit 
and  genius  were  kindred ;  but  the  tendency  of  most  of 
them  was  to  make  the  world  despise  themselves,  and 
weary  of  their  unoffending  idol.  Little  children  pre 
fer  red  sugar-plums  to  white,  and  always  think  it  the . 
best  'content7  which  is  drunk  from  a  painted  cup; 
but  when  the  dispensation  of  content  and  sugar-plums 
has  yielded  to  maturer  age,  the  man  takes  his  coffee 
and  his  cracknel  without  observing  the  pattern  of  the 
pottery.  And  unfortunately  it  was  to  this  that  the 
Herveyites  directed  their  chief  attention,  and  hungry 
people  have  long  since  tired  of  their  flowery  truisms 
and  mellifluous  inanities ;  and  partly  from  impatience 
of  the  copyists,  the  reading  republic  has  nearly  ostra 
cized  the  glowing  and  gifted  original.'7 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  337 

Frem  the  Bishop  of  Oxford. 
(Afterwards  Archbishop  Seeker.) 

"  CUDDESDEN,  Sept.  29,  1743. 

"I  return  you  many  thanks  for  your  favorable 
opinion  both  of  my  sermon  and  its  author,  though 
expressed  in  a  manner  which  you  would  have  forborne 
if  you  had  known  me  better ;  for  plain  men  should  be 
treated  in  a  plain  way.  Let  us  all  endeavor  to  do 
what  good  we  can,  and  give  those  who  seem  to  en 
deavor  it  faithfully,  the  comfort  of  knowing  that  we 
think  they  do ;  but  never  let  us  tempt  one  another  to 
forget  that  we  are  unprofitable  servants. 

"  I  am  in  no  danger  of  transgressing  this  rule  when 
I  say  that  I  have  read  your  works  with  great  satisfac 
tion,  and,  I  hope,  some  benefit ;  and  both  rejoice  and 
wonder  that  in  the  midst  of  your  other  occupations 
you  continue  able,  as  I  pray  God  you  long  may,  to 
oblige  your  fellow- Christians  so  often  and  so  highly 
from  the  press.  Indeed,  it  must  and  ought  to  be  own 
ed  in  general,  that  the  dissenters  have  done  excellent 
ly  of  late  years  in  the  service  of  Christianity ;  and  I 
hope  our  common  warfare  will  make  us  chiefly  atten 
tive  to  our  common  interest,  and  unite  us  in  a  closer 
alliance.  I  believe,  on  the  best  inquiry  I  can  make, 
that  what  I  have  said  in  favor  of  our  charity-schools 
is  true,  and  you  do  very  well  to  propagate  a  sense  of 
religion  among  your  own  people  by  the  same  method. 
I  have  read  Dr.  "Watts'  essay  on  the  subject,  which 
fell  into  my  hands  but  yesterday,  with  much  pleasure, 
and  a  little  surprise  to  see  in  how  many  points  we 
have  coincided;  an  evidence,  I  presume,  that  we  are 

both  in  the  right. 

15 


338  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

"  I  congratulate  you  heartily  on  the  prospect  you 
have  of  success  in  your  hospital ;  and  as  I  am  very 
sensible  of  what  peculiar  advantage  it  would  be  to 
have  one  at  Oxford, "so  I  have  not  only  taken  all 
opportunities  of  expressing  and  inculcating  my  opin 
ion,  but  should  long  before  now  have  made  some  trial 
as  to  what  could  be  done  in  the  matter,  if  hopes  had 
not  been  given  me  that  Dr.  RadclinVs  trustees,  when 
his  library  is  finished,  may  employ  some  part  of  the 
residue  of  his  money  in  this  excellent  work.  You 
were  much  to  blame  in  not  letting  me  see  you  at 
G-loucester;  and  the  bishop,  when  he  knows  it,  will 
be  as  sorry  as  I  am,  that  you  passed  by  us  in  the  man 
ner  you  did.  The  time  of  my  being  in  town,  and  that 
of  your  coming  thither,  I  am  afraid  are  different ;  but 
if  any  occasion  should  bring  you  near  nte,  either  there 
or  here,  I  beg  you  will  not  think  you  need  any  intro 
duction." 

From  the  Rev.  John  Barker. 

"  October  3,  1744. 

"  I  now  return  my  hearty  thanks  for  your  company 
in  London.  I  assure  you  the  pleasure  you  gave  at 
Russel-street  was  equal  to  what  you  received.  I  am 
very  glad  to  hear  of  your  safety,  health,  and  good 
spirits,  and  beseech  God  to  prolong  your  life,  and 
continue  your  usefulness. 

"  The  respect  you  meet  with  from  men  of  eminence, 
learning,  and  candor  in  the  Establishment  pleases  me 
much,  but  does  not  at  all  surprise  me.  Oh  how  do  I 
wish,  for  the  sake  of  our  common  Christianity,  for  the 
breaking  down  of  the  wall  of  separation  between  our 
brethren  of  the  church  of  England  and  ourselves.  The 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  339 

dissenting  interest  is  not  like  itself;  I  hardly  know  it. 
It  used  to  be  famous  for  faith,  holiness,  and  love.  I 
knew  the  time  when  I  had  no  doubt,  into  whatever 
place  of  worship  I  went  among  dissenters,  but  that 
my  heart  would  be  warmed  and  comforted,  and  my 
edification  promoted:  now  I  hear  prayers  and  ser 
mons  I  neither  relish  nor  understand ;  primitive  truths 
and  duties  are  quite  old-fashioned  things.  One's  ears 
are  so  dinned  with  reason,  the  great  law  of  reason, 
the  eternal  law  of  reason,  that  it  is  enough  to  put  one 
out  of  conceit  with  the  chief  excellency  of  our  nature, 
because  it  is  idolized  and  almost  deified. 

"  How  prone  are  men  to  extremes !  What  a  pity 
it  is,  that  when  people  emerge  out  of  an  ancient  mis 
take,  they  seldom  know  when  to  stop.  Oh  for  the 
purity  of  our  fountains,  the  wisdom  and  diligence  of 
our  tutors,  the  humility,  piety,  and  teachableness  of 
our  youth  I 

"  Since  I  saw  you  I  have  been  at  Tunbridge  Wells, 
and  got  good,  I  hope,  by  their  waters.  I  spend  this 
winter  in  town ;  and  if  it  please  God,  shall  write  out 
the  sermons  I  have  on  my  hands ;  but  as  my  shadow 
grows  long,  my  motion  is  slow.  You  are  happy  in 
dispatch  as  well  as  ability.  Go  on,  dear  sir,  and 
prosper,  and  let  us  who  are  going  off  rejoice  that  we 
leave  behind  us  some  men  of  diligence,  faithfulness, 
and  zeal  for  the  Christian  revelation,  and  the  glory 
of  its  Author." 

From  the  Rev.  R.  Pearsall. 

"WARMINSTEK,  Jan.  4,  1746. 

"I  thank  you,  among  many,  for  your  late  book, 
1  The  Rise  and  Progress/  etc.  We  think  you  have  in 


340  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

this  performance  exceeded  yourself.  May  divine  grace 
set  in  with  it  to  the  salvation  of  many  souls.  I  have 
not  known  any  book,  published  of  late  years,  that 
obtains  so  universally  among  Christians  of  various 
denominations  and  different  tastes  in  some  other 
things. 

"I  have  sometimes  in  my  own  mind  planned  a 
great  work  for  you,  but  I  fear  it  is  too  great,  consid 
ering  your  daily  application  other  ways,  that  you 
should  begin  a  body  of  divinity  in  sermons,  of  a  mix 
ed  nature,  doctrinal  and  practical,  somewhat  in  the 
same  way  with  what  is  laid  down  in  Matthew  Henry's 
life.  Do  not  let  the  proposal  die  as  soon  as  read,  but 
think  of  it.  Hereby  you  might  instruct  and  lead 
towards  heaven  after  you  are  safely  lodged  there. 

**  May  divine  Providence  long  protract  the  thread 
of  your  life,  and  the  good  Spirit  animate  and  increase 
your  gifts  and  graces,  that  your  honor  may  redound 
abundantly  to  the  name  of  your  God  and  Redeemer. 
To  the  divine  protection  and  conduct  I  commit  you." 

Moved  by  these,  and  similar  applications,  Dr.  Dod- 
dridge,  in  his  will,  directed  the  publication  of  "  four 
volumes  of  sermons,"  that  have  added  much  to  the 
author's  fame  and  usefulness. 

The  celebrated  John  Foster,  in  1825,  conferred 
great  honor  upon  "  The  Rise  and  Progress,"  by  writ 
ing,  with  immense  care  and  labor,  an  admirable  intro 
duction  to  it  for  a  Glasgow  publisher.  An  amusing 
account  of  the  delay  and  labor  in  its  preparation, 
may  be  found  in  the  "  Life  and  Correspondence  of 
Foster." 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  341 

In  1747  our  author  issued  a  work  of  great  interest 
entitled,  "  Some  Remarkable  Passages  in  the  Life  of 
Col.  James  Gardiner,  who  was  slain  by  the  Rebels  at 
the  Battle  of  Preston-Pans,  Sept.  21,  1745."  In  this 
publication  he  designed  not  merely  a  tribute  of  grati 
tude  to  the  memory  of  an  invaluable  friend,  but  of 
duty  to  God  and  his  fellow-creatures,  as  he  had  a 
cheerful  hope  that  the  narrative  would,  under  the 
divine  blessing,  be  the  means  of  spreading  a  warm 
and  lively  sense  of  religion.  He  thought  the  Colonel's 
character  would  command  some  peculiar  regard,  as  it 
shone  amid  the  many  temptations  of  a  military  life. 

The  correspondence  in  relation  to  this  work,  and 
the  remarkable  subject  of  it,  partly  from  the  pen  of 
Col.  Gardiner  himself,  cannot  fail  to  be  read  with 
interest.  It  will  be  observed  that  some  disparaging 
strictures  had  been  indulged  in  by  writers  of  a  worldly 
spirit,  who,  nevertheless,  had  admired  the  learning 
and  ability  of  the  author. 

It  will  prepare  us  to  read  the  correspondence  with 
deeper  interest,  if  the  admirable  sketch  of  Colonel 
Gardiner,  from  the  "North  British  Review,"  first 
receive  attention. 

"  Among  the  visitors  at  their  father's  house,  at  first 
to  the  children  of  Dr.  Doddridge  more  formidable 
than  the  doctor,  [Dr.  Stonehouse,]  and  by  and  by 
the  most  revered  of  all,  was  a  Scotch  cavalry  officer. 
With  his  hessian  boots,  and  their  tremendous  spurs, 
sustaining  the  grandeur  of  his  scarlet  coat  and  pow 
dered  cue,  there  was  something  to  youthful  imagi 
nation  very  awful  in  the  tall  and  stately  hussar ;  and 
that  awe  was  nowise  abated  when  they  got  courage 


342  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

to  look  on  his  high  forehead,  with  overhung  grey  eyes 
and  weather-beaten  cheeks,  and  when  they  marked  his 
fine  and  dauntless  air.  And  then  it  was  terrible  to 
think  how  many  battles  he  had  fought,  and  how  in 
one  of  them  a  bullet  had  gone  quite  through  his  neck, 
and  he  had  lain  a  whole  night  among  the  slain.  But 
there  was  a  deeper  mystery  still.  He  had  been  a  very 
bad  man  once,  it  would  appear,  and  now  he  was  very 
good ;  and  he  had  seen  a  vision ;  and  altogether,  with 
his  strong  Scotch  voice,  and  his  sword,  and  his  won 
derful  story,  the  most  solemn  visitant  was  this  grave 
and  lofty  soldier.  But  they  saw  how  their  father 
loved  him,  and  how  he  loved  their  father.  As  he  sat 
so  erect  in  the  square  corner  seat  of  the  chapel,  they 
could  notice  how  his  stern  look  would  soften,  and  how 
his  firm  lip  would  quiver,  and  how  a  happy  tear  would 
roll  down  his  deep-lined  face ;  and  they  heard  him  as 
he  sung  so  joyfully  the  closing  hymn,  and  they  came 
to  feel  that  the  Colonel  must  indeed  be  very  good. 
At  last,  after  a  long  absence,  he  came  to  see  their 
father,  and  stayed  three  days,  and  he  was  looking 
very  sick,  and  very  old ;  and  the  last  night  before  he 
went  away,  their  father  preached  a  sermon  in  the  house, 
and  his  text  was,  '  I  will  be  with  him  in  trouble :  I 
will  deliver  him,  and  honor  him.'  And  the  Colonel 
went  away,  and  their  father  went  with  him,  and  gave 
him  a  long  convoy ;  and  many  letters  went  and  came. 
But  at  last  there  was  war  in  Scotland.  There  was  a 
rebellion,  and  there  were  battles.  -And  then  the 
gloomy  news  arrived — there  had  been  a  battle  close 
to  the  very  house  of  Bankton,  and  the  king's  soldiers 
had  run  away,  and  the  brave  Colonel  Gardiner  could 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  343 

not  run,  but  fought  to  the  very  last ;  and  alas  for  the 
Lady  Frances,  he  was  stricken  down  and  slain  scarce 
a  mile  from  his  own  mansion  door." 

From  Col.  Grardiner. 

"  LEICESTER,  July  9,  1739. 

"  MY  DEAR  DOCTOR — I  know  not  how  the  reading 
of  my  letters  may  move  you,  but  I  am  sure  I  never 
receive  any  that  have  a  greater  influence  on  me  than 
yours ;  and  much  do  I  stand  in  need  of  every  help  to 
awaken  me  out  of  that  spiritual  deadness,  which  seizes 
me  so  often.  Once,  indeed,  it  was  quite  otherwise 
with  me,  and  that  for  many  years. 

" '  Firm  was  my  health,  my  day  was  bright, 
And  I  presumed  't  would  ne'er  be  night : 
Fondly  I  said  within  my  heart, 
Pleasure  and  peace  shall  ne'er  depart. 

'  But  I  forgot  Thine  arm  was  strong, 
Which  made  my  mountain  stand  so  long: 
Soon  as  Thy  face  began  to  hide, 
My  health  was  gone,  my  comforts  died.' 

Here  lies  my  sin  and  my  folly.  And  this  brings  to 
my  mind  that  sweet  singer  in  our  Israel,  I  mean  Dr. 
Watts ;  for  you  must  know  that  I  have  been  in  pain 
these  several  years  lest  that  excellent  person  should 
be  called  to  heaven  before  I  had  an  opportunity  to 
let  him  know  how  much  his  works  have  been  blessed 
in  me,  and  of  course  to  return  him  my  hearty  thanks ; 
for  though  it  is  owing  to  the  operation  of  the  blessed 
Spirit  that  any  thing  works  effectually  on  our  hearts, 
yet  if  we  are  not  thankful  to  the  instrument  which 
God  is  pleased  to  make  use  of,  whom  we  do  see,  how 
shall  we  be  thankful  to  the  Almighty  whom  we  have 


344  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

not  seen?  Therefore,  dear  doctor,  I  must  beg  the 
favor  of  you  to  let  him  know  that  I  intended  to  wait 
upon  him  when  I  was  in  London,  in  the  beginning  of 
last  May,  but  was  informed,  and  that  to  my  great  sor 
row,  that  he  was  extremely  ill,  and  therefore  I  did 
not  think  that  a  visit  would  have  been  seasonable, 
especially  considering  that  I  have  not  the  happiness 
to  be  much  acquainted  with  the  doctor ;  but  well  am 
I  acquainted  with  his  works,  especially  with  his  psalms, 
hymns,  and  lyrics.  How  often,  by  singing  some  of 
them  when  by  myself,  on  horseback  and  elsewhere, 
has  the  evil  spirit  been  made  to  flee  away, 

" '  Whene'er  my  heart  in  tune  was  found, 
Like  David's  harp  of  solemn  sound,' 

I  desire  to  bless  God  for  all  the  good  news  of  his 
recovery,  and  entreat  you  to  tell  him  that  although  I 
cannot  keep  pace  with  him  here  in  celebrating  the 
high  praises  of  our  glorious  Redeemer,  which  is  the 
great  grief  of  my  heart,  yet  I  am  persuaded  that, 
when  I  join  the  glorious  company  above,  where  there 
will  be  no  drawbacks,  none  will  outsing  me  there; 
because  I  shall  not  find  any  who  have  been  more 
indebted  to  the  wonderful  riches  of  divine  grace  than 
myself. 

" '  Give  me  a  place  at  thy  saints'  feet, 
Or  some  fallen  angel's  vacant  seat ; 
I  '11  strive  to  sing  as  loud  as  they 
Who  sit  above  in  brighter  day.' 

1  know  it  is  natural  for  any  one  who  has  felt  that 
almighty  power  which  raised  our  glorious  Redeemer 
from  the  grave,  to  believe  his  case  singular.  But  I 
have  made  every  one  in  this  respect  submit,  as  soon 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  345 

as  he  has  heard  my  story ;  and  if  you  seemed  so  sur 
prised  at  the  account  which  I  gave  you,  what  will  you 
be  when  you  hear  it  all  ? 

" '  Oh,  if  I  had  an  angel's  voice, 

And  could  be  heard  from  pole  to  pole, 
I  would  to  all  the  listening  world 
Proclaim  thy  goodness  to  my  soul.' 

"  Dear  doctor,  if  you  knew  what  a  natural  aver 
sion  I  have  to  writing,  you  would  be  astonished  at  the 
length  of  this  letter,  which  is,  I  believe,  the  longest  I 
ever  wrote.  But  my  heart  warms  when  I  write  to 
you,  which  makes  my  pen  move  the  easier.  I  hope 
it  will  please  our  gracious  God  long  to  preserve  you 
a  blessed  instrument  in  his  hand  of  doing  great  good 
in  the  church  of  Christ." 

A  CONVERSATION  WITH  COL.  GARDINER,  AND  HIS 
EXTRAORDINARY  STORY. 

"  I  have  this  evening,  August  14,  1739,"  says  Dr. 
Doddridge,  "been  conversing  with  the  ingenious,  polite, 
judicious,  and  eminently  pious  Colonel  Gardiner,  and 
have  again  been  receiving  from  his  own  mouth  the 
extraordinary  story  of  his  conversion ;  and  therefore 
think  it  proper,  while  it  continues  fresh  in  my  memo 
ry,  to  write  it  down  for  further  reflection,  with  all  the 
exactness  of  which  I  am  capable. 

"This  worthy  gentleman  and  brave  soldier  was 
the  son  of  a  very  religious  mother,  and  educated  with 
great  care;  but  soon  outgrew  all  the  influence  of  a 
religious  education,  and  lived  from  his  childhood  to 
the  thirty-first  year  of  his  age  without  reading  the 
word  of  God,  without  prayer,  abandoned  to  all  the 
15* 


346  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

most  profligate  vices,  and  to  every  kind  of  debauchery 
and  wickedness  consistent  with  a  good-natured  tem 
per,  which  he  always  had,  and  some  grateful  sense  of 
human  friends,  when  most  insensible  of  divine  favors. 

"  He  had,  before  his  conversion,  been  distinguish 
ed  by  two  remarkable  deliverances.  The  one  was  at 
the  battle  of  Ramillies,  when,  as  he  was  planting  his 
colors,  and  swearing  violently  at  his  men,  he  received 
a  shot  into  his  mouth,  which  came  out  at  his  neck, 
and  laid  him  apparently  among  the  dead,  where  he 
lay  two  nights,  and  part  of  three  days.  From  the 
time  he  received  this  wound  he  thought  there  was 
something  miraculous  in  his  surviving  it ;  and  while 
he  lay  among  the  dead,  he  was  persuaded  that  God 
would  complete  his  deliverance ;  yet  even  then  he  had 
no  sense  of  duty,  gratitude,  or  penitence. 

"  About  the  year  1719,  going  over  in  the  packet- 
boat  to  France,  when  Lord  Stair  was  ambassador 
there,  a  violent  storm  arose,  which  tossed  the  vessel 
from  sea  to  sea,  and  from  coast  to  coast,  till  the  cap 
tain  came  and  told  him  that  they  must  inevitably  be 
lost  if  the  wind  did  not  immediately  fall.  Upon  this 
he  prayed ;  and  on  his  doing  it,  even  while  he  was  so 
employed,  the  wind  fell,  and  turned  into  a  favorable 
gale,  which  carried  them  into  Calais;  but  instead  of 
having  any  sense  of  the  hand  of  God  in  that  deliver 
ance,  he  only  made  a  jest  of  it,  and  said  he  prayed 
because  it  was  twelve  at  night,  and  he  knew  his  good 
mother  was  asleep. 

"  From  Calais  he  went  to  Paris,  where  he  continued 
some  time  in  the  Earl  of  Stair's  family,  and  had  an 
acquaintance  with  all  the  gayest  and  most  illustrious 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  341 

men  in  the  court  of  France;  and  here,  as  well  as  else 
where,  he  passed,  on  account  of  the  vivacity  of  his 
temper,  for  one  of  the  happiest  of  mortals,  while  at 
the  same  time  hQr  felt  those  inward  agonies  of  con 
science,  which  made  him  once  say,  on  the  sight  of  a 
dog,  '  Oh  that  I  were  that  brute  F  yet  still  he  went  on 
without  any  thought  of  a  return  to  God;  and  when 
pleased  with  a  fine  poem  on  gratitude,  he  attempted 
to  praise  God  once  or  twice,  he  was  so  conscious  that 
he  did  not  desire  to  serve  him,  that  from  a  mere  innate 
abhorrence  of  hypocrisy  he  left  off  prayer. 

"  Among  many  other  very  irregular  dispositions, 
the  love  of  women  was  his  ruling  passion.  He  had 
one  night  an  appointment  with  another  gentleman's 
wife,  and  was  to  go  to  her  chamber  at  twelve  o'clock. 
Breaking  up  from  some  company  at  eleven  he  retired 
into  his  chamber,  and  looking  among  his  books  for 
something  to  amuse  him  till  what  he  wretchedly  call 
ed  the  happy  moment  came,  he  took  down  what  a 
pious  aunt  had,  without  his  knowledge,  put  into  his 
chest,  Watson's  '  Heaven  Taken  by  Storm.7  He  took 
up  this  book  merely  to  make  a  jest  of  it ;  but  while  he 
held  it  in  his  hand,  he  found  himself  struck  on  a  sud 
den,  as  by  an  unusual  lustre,  and  lifting  up  his  eyes, 
he  solemnly  declared  to  me,  that  he  being  then  broad 
awake,  if  ever  in  his  life,  he  apprehended  that  he 
saw  clearly  and  distinctly  Jesus  Christ  himself  on  the 
cross,  with  a  strong  impression  on  his  mind  of  these 
words, i  Oh  sinner,  did  I  suffer  this  for  thee,  and  are 
these  thy  returns?'  The  consequence  was,  that  he 
was  struck  into  such  confusion  that  he  sunk  down  in 
his  chair,  and  on  his  recovering  himself  a  little,  had 


348  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

such  views  of  the  holiness,  justice,  and  glory  of  God, 
as  threw  him  into  the  utmost  confusion  and  abase 
ment  ;  and  from  that  moment  the  whole  tenor  of  his 
heart  was  changed,  and  divine  grace  took  such  pos 
session  of  his  soul,  as  he  assures  me  has  never  been 
lost,  and  rendered  him  the  very  contrary  of  what  he 
was  naturally  before.  He  did  indeed  look  upon  him 
self  as  so  great  a  sinner,  that  he  had  no  hope,  and 
apprehended  that  the  honor  of  divine  justice  would 
require  that  he  should  be  consigned  over  to  eternal 
destruction;  yet  even  then  he  resolutely  broke  off 
from  all  his  sins,  and  set  himself  to  defend  the  gospel 
by  which  he  apprehended  himself  to  be  condemned. 

"Several  instances  of  his  encountering  and  con 
founding  infidels,  and  especially  Mrs.  Hammond,  wid 
ow  to  one  of  that  name,  who  was  speaker  to  the  House 
of  Commons,  he  added,  but  I  have  not  time  to  mention 
them  at  length.  He  received  comfort  from  these 
words, '  He  is  just,  and  the  justifier  of  him  that  believ- 
eth  in  Jesus.'  The  result  of  which  was,  that  he  was 
enabled  by  faith  to  venture  his  soul  on  Christ,  and  he 
then  received  such  extraordinary  communications  of 
divine  love  and  joy  as  kept  him  in  a  kind  of  continued 
rapture  for  some  years,  excepting  the  time  necessarily 
devoted  to  the  business  of  life,  and  the  wants  of  ani 
mal  nature.  The  consequence  was,  that  he  found 
that  strong  propensity  which  had  been  the  reigning 
passion  of  his  life,  utterly  mortified-  so  that  though 
he  had  struggles  with  many  other  corruptions  of 
nature,  he  had  none  with  this,  but  hated  those  lusts 
more  than  he  had  ever  loved  and  indulged  them — 
which  seems  the  most  affecting  comment  on  the  apos- 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  349 

tie's  phrase  of  being  sanctified  in  the  whole  body,  that 
I  ever  remember  to  have  met  with ;  and  having  put  his 
hand  to  the  plough,  he  never  looked  back,  but  broke 
through  the  trials  of  cruel  mockings,  as  well  as  many 
others;  and  he  appears  now  to  have  attained  to  a 
most  confirmed  state  of  piety,  and  seems,  on  the  whole, 
one  of  the  most  loving  and  affectionate  Christians 
that  in  my  life  I  have  ever  known.  When  I  consider 
all  the  marvellous  things  he  has  told  me,  I  must  reck 
on  my  acquaintance  with  him,  and  my  share  in  his 
friendship,  among  the  most  eminent  and  distinguished 
blessings  of  my  life. 

"  I  must  add  to  all  this,  that  he  spoke  of  himself 
to  me  with  the  deepest  self-abhorrence  that  he  was  no 
more  affected  with  the  goodness  of  God  to  him,  and  he 
seemed  ashamed  and  grieved  beyond  expression  that 
his  heart  was  not  hourly  ascending  to  God  in  flames 
of  love,  and  that  he  did  not  maintain  at  all  times  an 
uninterrupted  sense  of  His  presence,  and  zeal  for  His 
glory,  as  the  one  and  the  only  business  of  his  life." 

To  David  Gardiner,  Esq. 
[The  eldest  son  of  Colonel  Gardiner.] 

"  April  28,  1740. 

"  Though  I  have  not  the  pleasure  of  a  personal 
acquaintance  with  you,  I  think  it  not  improbable  that 
you  may  have  learnt  my  name  from  your  excellent 
parents,  who  honor  me  with  their  friendship,  and  have 
informed  me  of  your  illness,  and  recommended  you  to 
my  earnest  and  affectionate  prayers;  which,  I  assure 
you,  dear  sir,  you  shall  continue  to  have  a  share  in. 

"  God  has  indeed  been  gracious  to  us,  and  heard 
our  supplications.  He  has  brought  you  back  from  the 


350  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

borders  of  the  grave  when  you  had  received  the  sen 
tence  of  death.  And  now,  my  dear  friend — for  so  me- 
thinks  I  have  a  hereditary  right  to  call  you — give  me 
leave  to  remind  you  seriously  of  the  goodness  of  God 
in  this  respect,  and  to  call  upon  you,  as  in  his  name, 
to  make  a  proper  improvement.  I  doubt  not  but  that, 
in  the  intervals  of  your  disorder,  you  had  some  solemn 
thoughts  of  death  and  eternity.  I  doubt  not  but  that 
you  cried  to  God,  and  formed  some  purposes  for  his 
service ;  but  I  know  how  ready  our  treacherous  hearts 
are  to  pass  over  such  deliverances,  and  to  forget  those 
vows  of  God  that  are  upon  us ;  and  therefore  let  me, 
with  all  simplicity  and  plainness,  though  at  the  same 
time,  with  sincere  respect,  renew  the  admonition  as  in 
the  name  of  my  great  Lord  and  Master,  who,  I  would 
hope,  means  you  graciously  in  inclining  me  to  write 
to  you  upon  this  occasion. 

"  I  would  then  beseech  you  seriously  to  examine 
your  heart  and  ways,  and  to  ask  yourself  before  God, 
'  What  if  the  fever  had  finished  its  work,  and  brought 
me  down  to  the  dust  of  death,  and  my  spirit  had  re 
turned  to  God  who  gave  it,  how  would  it  have  been 
received  by  him  ?' 

"  You  are  descended  from  the  most  gracious  par 
ents  whom  I  think  I  ever  knew.  But  they  cannot 
convey  grace  to  you.  Even  from  them,  excellent  as 
they  are,  you  derive  a  corrupt  nature.  Ask  your 
own  heart  then,  '  Have  I  ever  been  earnest  with  God 
for  renewing  grace  ?  Have  I  ever  pleaded  with  him 
in  prayer,  that  I  might  experience  that  change  which 
the  gospel  requires,  and  without  which  no  man  can 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ?' 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  351 

"  These  are  matters  of  infinite  importance,  which 
must  lie  at  the  root  of  all  our  future  hopes,  or  those 
hopes  will  prove  weaker  than  a  spider's  web.  I  be 
seech  you,  therefore,  dear  sir,  in  the  name  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  by  all  your  prospects  of  the  eternal 
world,  that  you  take  these  things  under  an  attentive 
consideration.  I  hope  you  have  thought  of  them.  I 
would  fain  persuade  myself  to  believe  you  are  experi 
mentally  acquainted  with  them ;  but  I  would  counsel 
you  to  apply  your  heart  to  them  more  and  more. 

"  I  know,  sir,  that  in  your  circumstances  of  life 
innumerable  temptations  surround  you,  and  it  is  good, 
in  order  to  be  fortified  against  them,  that  the  heart 
be  established  with  grace.  You  have  all  the  encour 
agement  you  can  desire  to  attempt  the  work  of  serious 
religion,  and  that  betimes ;  for  it  must  be  done  imme 
diately,  or  perhaps  it  may  not  be  done  at  all.  You 
have  a  gracious  God  to  go  to,  who  is  not  willing  that 
any  should  perish,  but  that  all  should  come  to  repent 
ance.  You  have  a  most  compassionate  Redeemer, 
who  shed  his  blood  for  the  salvation  of  perishing  sin 
ners,  and  I  humbly  hope,  for  your  salvation.  The 
Spirit  of  God  has  conquered  hearts  much  harder  than 
yours,  even  supposing  you  are  in  an  unrenewed  state. 
You  are  the  seed  of  God's  servants :  you  have  a  large 
stock  of  prayers  laid  up  in  the  presence  of  God  for 
you.  I  apprehend  there  is  peculiar  encouragement  for 
such  to  seek  the  God  of  their  fathers.  I  believe  the 
Spirit  strives  peculiarly  with  them,  and  that  when 
they  seek  it,  it  is  more  immediately  and  more  fully 
communicated  to  them  than  generally  to  others.  And 
sure  I  am  that  the  early  instructions  they  receive  have 


352  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

often  a  blessed  resurrection  in  their  hearts,  even  after 
they  have  been  long  forgotten;  and  that  the  seed, 
which  seemed  to  have  perished,  often  brings  forth 
fruit  in  abundance;  and  therefore,  dear  sir,  thank 
God,  and  take  courage.  In  his  name  and  strength 
set  out  on  your  heavenly  pilgrimage,  with  the  word 
of  God  in  your  hand  and  heart,  and  with  your  eyes  to 
the  Spirit  of  God,  as  your  guide  and  strength;  and 
be  assured  that  there  are  many  who  will  bid  you  good 
speed  in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 

"  I  am  not  without  hope  that  our  gracious  God 
may  at  length  favor  me  with  more  immediate  and 
renewed  opportunities  of  serving  you.  [He  was  after 
wards  the  doctor's  pupil.]  In  the  mean  time  be  as 
sured  that,  though  personally  unknown,  I  most  cor 
dially  love  you.  Be  assured  my  heart  overflows  with 
a  true  concern  for  your  welfare;  that  I  pour  out  my 
soul  before  God  in  prayer  on  your  account ;  and  that 
to  hear  of  your  health  and  happiness,  and  above  all, 
that  your  soul  prospers,  will  yield  me  unutterable 
delight." 

From  Lady  Frances  Gardiner. 

"  LEICESTER,  Aug.  16,  1740. 

"  I  received  with  pleasure  your  obliging  favor 
last  Monday;  and  as  all  your  letters  are  acceptable 
to  the  colonel  and  myself,  this  was  particularly  so,  as 
it  brought  the  agreeable  news  of  your  safe  arrival  at 
Northampton,  and  of  your  dear  child's  recovery.  The 
colonel  and  I  long  much  to  see  you  and  Mrs.  Dod- 
dridge,  to  repay  the  kind  visit  you  made  us  here. 
The  colonel  begs  to  know  when  you  propose  to  ad 
minister  the  sacrament  again  at  Northampton,  as  he 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS. 

lias  some  thoughts  of  being  then  with  you.  I  bless 
God  that  my  dear  colonel  has  kept  his  health  pretty 
well  of  late ;  but  I  have  suffered  much  for  some  time. 
I  wish  I  were  half  as  sensible  of  the  diseases  of  my 
soul  when  it  languishes,  and  were  as  much  affected 
with  it  as  with  those  of  a  frail  body. 

"  I  am  desired  by  many  who  have  had  the  pleasure 
of  reading  some  of  your  charming  hymns,  to  solicit 
you  for  the  publication  of  them :  and  surely  good  Dr. 
Doddridge  will  not  be  so  cruel  as  to  refuse  what 
would  oblige  many,  and  I  hope  prove  useful  to  thou 
sands. 

"  The  colonel  offers  you  his  sincere  compliments 
in  the  most  affectionate  manner ;  and  we  both  join  in 
the  same  to  your  lady,  and  beg  leave  to  assure  her  of 
our  real  sympathy  with  her  in  her  illness." 

The  Right  Honorable  Lady  Frances  Erskirie, 
daughter  to  the  Earl  of  Buchan,  was  married  to  Col. 
Gardiner,  July  11,  1726.  In  his  life  of  Colonel  Gar 
diner,  Dr.  Doddridge  says  of  her,  "I  shall  not  indulge 
myself  in  saying  any  thing  of  her,  except  it  be,  that 
the  colonel  assured  me,  when  he  had  been  happy  in 
this  intimate  relation  to  her  more  than  fourteen  years, 
that  the  greatest  imperfection  he  knew  in  her  charac 
ter  was,  'that  she  valued  and  loved  him  more  than 
he  deserved  f  and  little  did  he  think,  in  the  simplicity 
of  heart  with  which  he  spoke  this,  how  high  an  en 
comium  he  was  making  upon  her ;  and  how  lasting  an 
honor  such  a  testimony  must  leave  upon  her  name, 
long  as  the  memory  of  it  shall  continue." 


354  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

To  Mrs.  Doddridge. 

"June  28,  1741. 

"  If  1  could  envy  you  any  thing,  it  would  be  Colonel 
Gardiner's  company.  Give  my  most  respectful  ser 
vices  to  him,  and  tell  him  that  I  hope  the  happy  turn 
which  the  Queen  of  Hungary's  affairs  have  taken, 
(for  which  I  heartily  bless  God,)  will  prevent  the  ne 
cessity  of  his  going  to  Flanders ;  and  I  earnestly  beg 
that  if  any  timely  application  to  the  secretary  of  war, 
or  any  other  person,  can  procure  the  continuance  of 
his  troop  at  Northampton,  he  would  not  omit  it,  for 
it  would  almost  break  my  heart  that  we  should  be 
always  thus,  like  buckets  in  a  well. 

"I  hope  to  preach  at  home  August  15,  and  to 
administer  the  Lord's  supper  there  August  22,  if  the 
church  think  fit.  But  if  my  dear  colonel  should  leave 
us  after  August  15,  I  will  administer  it  that  day,  for 
it  is  something  very  much  like  heaven  to  me,  to  meet 
that  excellent  Christian  at  the  Lord's  table." 

From  Colonel  Gardiner. 

"  GHENT,  Oct.  6,  1742. 

"I  am  favored  with  your  very  welcome  letter  of 
the  third  instant,  for  which  I  return  you  my  hearty 
thanks.  It  has  been  matter  of  great  praise  to  me 
upon  a  double  account :  first,  that  Mrs.  Doddridge  is 
in  so  good  a  way  of  recovery ;  and  also  that  our  gra 
cious  God  vouchsafes  to  give  you  such  manifestations 
of  his  favor  and  loving-kindness.  As  for  me,  I  am  in 
a  dry  and  thirsty  land,  where  no  'living  water'  is. 
Rivers  of  tears  run  down  mine  eyes,  because  nothing 
is  to  be  heard  in  our  Babel  but  blaspheming  the  name 
of  my  God ;  and  I  am  not  honored  as  the  instrument 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS. 

of  doing  any  great  service.  It  is  true  I  have  reformed 
six  or  seven  field  officers  from  swearing.  I  dine  every 
day  with  them,  and  have  enticed  them  into  a  volun 
tary  contract  to  pay  a  shilling  to  the  poor  for  every 
oath,  and  it  is  wonderful  to  observe  the  effect  it  has 
had  already. 

"I  received,  some  days  ago,  a  letter  from  Mr. 
Whitefield:  the  accounts  I  have  had  of  that  man, 
both  when  in  England  and  since  I  came  here,  have 
ravished  my  soul.  If  my  heart  deceives  me  not,  I 
would  rather  be  the  persecuted,  despised  Whitefield, 
to  be  an  instrument  in  the  hand  of  the  Spirit  for  con 
verting  so  many  souls,  and  building  up  others  in  their 
most  holy  faith,  than  to  be  emperor  of  the  whole 
world. 

"  My  dear  friend,  I  wrote  to  you  that  I  was  in 
hopes  of  having  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you  this  winter, 
and  to  be  sure  it  would  have  been  a  great  one  to  me ; 
but  we  poor  mortals  form  projects,  and  the  almighty 
Ruler  of  the  universe  disposes  of  all  as  he  pleases. 
A  great  many  of  us  were  getting  ready  for  our  return 
to  England,  when,  to  the  great  surprise  of  the  whole 
army,  my  Lord  Stair  not  excepted,  we  received  an 
order  to  march  towards  Frankfort;  neither  can  any 
of  us  comprehend  what  we  are  to  do  there,  for  there 
is  no  enemy  in  that  country.  But  it  is  the  will  of  the 
Lord ;  and  his  will  be  done.  I  desire  to  bless  and 
praise  my  heavenly  Father  that  I  am  entirely  resign 
ed  to  it.  It  is  no  matter  where  I  go,  or  what  becomes 
of  me,  so  that  God  may  be  glorified  in  my  life  and  by 
my  death. 

"I  think  you  have  undertaken  a  noble  work,  and 


356  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

I  hope  our  gracious  God  will  give  you  the  wished-for 
success.  Pray  remember  me  kindly  to  Mrs.  Dod- 
dridge,  and  to  all  those  with  you  that  love  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity.  How  much  do  I  stand  in 
need  of  your  prayers.  I  hope  God  will  bless  you  and 
yours,  more  and  more." 

From  Thomas  Grardiner,  Esq. 

"  EDINBURGH,  Sept.  24,  1745. 

"I  am  deeply  concerned  that  I  commence  your 
correspondent  on  an  occasion  that  will  very  sensibly 
affect  you  with  sorrow. 

"Upon  the  21st  instant,  in  the  morning,  about 
daybreak,  a  very  bloody  engagement  was  fought  at 
the  very  door  of  our  mutually  valuable  friend  Col. 
Gardiner,  who,  alas,  has  fallen,  to  the  regret  of  all  his 
friends,  as  you  will  believe ;  but  I  must  also  tell  you, 
to  the  grief  of  all  on  the  other  side  against  which  he 
was  engaged. 

"His  affectionate  lady  was  left  by  him  in  Stirling 
castle,  thirty  miles  distant.  Miss  Fanny  is  with  her, 
and  the  other  children  are  safe. 

"As  to  the  circumstances  of  the  colonel's  death,  I 
can  acquaint  you  that  he  died  as  a  Christian,  and  ac 
knowledged  by  all  against  whom  he  was  engaged  as 
a  brave  officer.  His  own  regiment  of  dragoons  was 
routed  in  the  beginning  of  the  action,  and  he  then 
charged  at  the  head  of  the  foot,  till  he  had  received 
three  wounds,  one  in  his  shoulder  with  a  bullet,  one 
in  his  forehead  with  a  broad  sword,  and  the  mortal 
wound,  which  was  in  his  hindhead,  with  a  Lochaber 
axe,  an  instrument  the  Highlanders  fight  with;  and 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  35Y 

this  lie  received  when  making  a  blow  with  his  sword 
at  one  of  the  officers  he  engaged. 

"He  was  this  day  decently  interred  in  his  own 
burying-place,  in  the  church  of  Tranent,  where  lie 
eight  of  his  children.  I  sent  an  express  to  Stirling, 
directed  to  my  correspondent  there,  who  is  the  pres 
ent  mayor  of  the  town,  and  desired  he  would  cause 
one  of  the  ministers  to  acquaint  the  worthy  Lady 
Frances  of  the  fact,  which  was  done  before  any  other 
account  had  come  to  her  ears.  I  should  be  glad  to 
know  how  Mr.  David  Gardiner  bears  it." 

From  the  Rev.  John  Barker. 

"January  12,  1746. 

"I  promised  never  to  expect  any  letters  from  you, 
nor  to  take  it  amiss  if  I  had  none,  knowing  how  much 
better  you  are  employed  than  in  writing  to  your 
friends.  That  I  love  to  see  a  letter  from  you  now  and 
then  is  undeniable ;  and  that  you  love  your  friends, 
and  love  to  tell  them  so,  is  easily  to  be  inferred  from 
the  benevolence  of  your  nature,  and  the  overflowing 
tenderness  of  your  heart ;  so  that  you  will  never  suffer 
any  blame  from  me,  whatever  date  my  last  unanswered 
letter  may  happen  to  bear. 

"  I  thank  you  for  your  fine  sermon  on  the  lament 
able  death  of  that  eminent  Christian  and  gallant  sol 
dier  Colonel  Gardiner.  I  believe  every  body  will 
allow  it  to  be  a  fine  discourse,  and  grant  that  your 
affection  has  not  transported  you  beyond  the  bounds 
of  prudence.  His  death  is  a  heavy  affliction ;  but  this 
comes  of  continuing  to  sojourn  in  this  dying  world; 
and  what  great  matter  is  it  by  what  disease  or  disas 
ter  a  good  man  is  released  from  labor  and  sorrow? 


358  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

To  be  fond  of  life,  and  full  of  the  world,  and  minding 
the  things  of  the  flesh,  is  less  manly  than  grasping  at 
a  shadow.  Reason  and  experience  teach  us  that  such 
things  will  no  more  yield  substantial  happiness  to  an 
immortal  spirit,  than  the  picture  of  food  will  satisfy 
our  bodily  hunger,  or  the  sound  of  falling  waters 
quench  our  thirst.  But  to  live  for  eternity,  to  be 
upon  good  terms  with  God,  to  be  steady  and  regular 
in  our  Christian  profession,  easy  and  lively  in  our 
devotion,  tolerably  free  from  unequal  burdens  and 
distracting  cares,  cheerful  in  our  work,  patient  in 
our  trials,  and  absolutely  subject  to  the  all-glorious 
Author,  Lord,  and  Life  of  the  whole  creation ;  to  be 
composed  when  others  are  perplexed,  and  daily  bless 
ing  God,  and  daily  blessed  by  Him,  easy  in  life,  calm 
in  the  approach  of  death,  and  happy  in  the  hope  of 
heaven — this  is  true  Christian  consolation,  and  shows 
the  religion  of  our  divine  Master  to  some  advantage. 
And  what  is  death  to  such  a  man  but  a  release,  a  fa 
vor,  a  speedy  conveyance  to  the  full  possession  of  all 
its  hopes  and  joys  ?  Thus,  Doddridge,  is  it  with  that 
devout,  dutiful,  laborious,  benevolent  spirit  of  thine ; 
while  mine,  unless  I  increase  my  diligence  and  speed 
by  such  books  and  such  an  example  as  yours,  and 
God  be  merciful  to  me,  will  be  like  an  ill-favored 
plant,  languishing,  fruitless,  and  ready  to  wither ;  or 
at  best,  not  like  a  tree  planted  by  a  river  of  water, 
living,  flourishing,  and  fruitful. 

"  The  face  of  public  afiairs  seems  changed  a  good 
deal  for  the  better.  I  hope  Providence  is  bringing 
about  our  deliverance  out  of  the  hands  of  our  merci 
less  enemies;  and  that  the  rebels  at  home,  and  the 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  359 

French  at  Boulogne,  are  now  more  afraid  of  us  than 
we  are  of  them ;  so  gracious  is  God  to  his  people,  and 
so  loath  does  he  seem  to  give  up  these  favored  na 
tions. 

"I  wish  I  was  able  to  give  you  any  very  good 
account  of  the  state  of  religion  among  us.  I  see  with 
joy  the  spirit  of  prayer  among  good  people  continues 
lively  and  vigorous ;  but  what  shall  I  say  of  our  great 
people,  or  common  people,  or  of  the  success  of  the  gos 
pel,  or  of  a  zeal  for  the  glory  of  God,  the  honor  of 
Christ,  and  the  revival  of  the  doctrines  of  the  Refor 
mation,  and  of  the  growth  of  pure  and  vital  religion? 

0  for  the  pouring  out  of  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  from 
on  high." 

From  the  Rev.  Thorn asHunt,  D.  D. 

"HERTFORD  COLLEGE,  Feb.  26,  1746. 
"Many  thanks  for  your  excellent  sermon  on  the 
death  of  the  valiant  and  worthy  Colonel  Gardiner. 

1  was  most  sensibly  affected  with  it ;  nor  can  I  easily 
tell  you  whether  I  was  most  pleased  with  the  inge 
nuity  of  the  discourse,  or  moved  with  the  tenderness 
of  the  application.     Both  your  lamentation  over  your 
dead  friend,  and  your  moving  epistle  to  his  disconso 
late  widow,  are  plainly  formed  on  Horace's  plan,  si 
vis  me  flere,  etc.,  and  therefore  it  is  no  wonder  they 
should  draw  tears  from  your  readers,  as  I  assure  you 
they  did  not  only  from  my  dear  Mrs.  Hunt,  but  from 
myself,  in  great  abundance.   How  mournfully  pleasing 
to  Lady  Frances  must  the  honor  you  have  done  her 
gallant  consort  be!    And  as  for  the  deceased  hero 
himself,  methinks  I  hear  every  brave  soldier  in  the 
British  army  saluting  his  ashes,  in  the  words  of  Alex- 


360  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

ander,  when  he  stood  before  the  tomb  of  Achilles,  and 
reflected  on  the  honor  that  had  been  done  that  war 
rior  by  the  verses  of  Homer, 

" '  0  fortunate  Gardinere,  qui  tuas  virtutis 
Talem  prseconem  inveneris !' 

At  least,  I  am  sure  these  would  be  their  sentiments 
were  your  sermon  put  into  their  hands,  as  I  could 
heartily  wish  that  it  were.  I  need  not  tell  you  how 
glad  I  should  be  to  see  the  remarkable  passages  of  a 
life,  the  conclusion  of  which  was  so  glorious. 

"I  am  glad  to  hear  that  the  third  volume  of  your 
'Family  Expositor'  is  in  such  forwardness.  It  is  a 
work  calculated  to  do  great  good,  and  will  therefore, 
I  hope,  soon  be  in  the  hands  of  every  serious  family 
in  the  kingdom.  May  God  give  you  life  and  health 
to  finish  this,  and  every  other  design  for  the  advance 
ment  of  his  religion  and  the  benefit  of  mankind." 

From  the  Rev.  W.  Warburton,  D.  D. 

"  PRIOR  PARK,  Oct.  10,  1747. 

"  I  had  the  favor  of  your  letter,  and  along  with  it 
'Colonel  Gardiner's  Life/  which  I  have  just  read 
through  with  great  pleasure.  Nothing  can  be  better 
or  more  judicious  than  the  writing  part. 

"  Many  considerations  made  the  subject  of  great  im 
portance  and  expediency.  The  celebration  of  worthy 
men  who  sacrificed  themselves  for  the  service  of  their 
country ;  the  tribute  paid  to  private  friendship  ;  the 
example,  particularly  to  the  soldiery,  of  so  much  vir 
tue  and  piety,  as  well  as  courage  and  patriotism ;  the 
service  done  to  the  survivors  of  their  families,  are 
such  important  considerations  as  equally  cxw^ern  the 
writer  and  the  public. 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  361 

"  I  had  a  thousand  things  to  remark  in  it  which  give 
me  pleasure,  but  I  have  room  only  for  two  or  three. 
The  distinction  you  settle  between  piety  and  enthu 
siasm  is  highly  just  and  important,  and  very  neces 
sary  for  these  times,  when  men  are  apt  to  fall  into  the 
opposite  extremes.  Nor  am  I  less  pleased  with  your 
observations  on  the  'mutilated  form  of  Christianity  :' 
we  see  the  terrible  effects  of  it.  Your  hymns  are 
truly  pious  and  poetical.  I  entirely  agree  in  your 
sentiments  concerning  the  extraordinary  circumstances 
of  the  good  man's  conversion.  On  the  whole,  the  book 
will  do  you  honor,  or,  what  you  like  better,  will  be  a 
blessing  to  you  by  its  becoming  an  instrument  of  pub 
lic  good." 

From  the  Rev.  R.  Pearsall. 

"  TAUNTON,  Nov.  2,  1747. 

"  The  imminent  danger  of  a  father,  it  is  said,  burst 
the  restraints  of  a  tongue  that  had  never  spoken;  a 
different  event,  producing  a  different  passion,  causes 
me  to  break  a  long  silence :  I  mean  your  '  Life  of 
Colonel  Gardiner.'  And  how  shall  I  express  my  joy 
and  thanks?  I  want  words :  affections  uncommonly 
great  swell  the  mind,  and  crowd  to  the  outlet  of  the 
soul,  and  obstruct  the  passage  of  words.  I  own  I 
longed  greatly  for  the  publication,  and  am  abundant 
ly  satisfied.  I  congratulate  the  church  of  Christ  upon 
such  an  addition  to  its  treasure.  I  would  glorify  God 
in  him,  and  on  your  account  too.  Adored  be  that 
grace  which  rescued  such  a  vessel  out  of  the  snare  of 
the  devil,  and  that  in  a  way  so  extraordinary;  and 
which  strengthened  the  redeemed  captive  to  stand  his 
ground,  and  to  oppose  all  the  methods  of  the  roaring 

1  6 


362  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

lion  and  cunning  serpent,  and  to  remain  in  the  midst 
of  showers  of  darts  more  than  a  conqueror. 

"  Indeed,  the  whole  book  opens  a  scene  of  wonders 
which,  I  pray,  may  be  blessed  to  the  awakening  and 
confirming  of  many  souls.  I  wish  it  may  be  read  by 
the  whole  army,  and  weighed  according  to  its  deserts 
by  all,  from  the  duke  himself  to  the  meanest  soldier 
who  carries  a  musket.  And,  my  good  friend,  blessed 
be  you  of  the  Lord,  who  have  been  the  honored  instru 
ment  of  holding  forth  so  glorious  a  light  to  the  view 
of  thousands. 

"  Such  a  remarkable  event  as  the  colonel's  conver 
sion,  such  a  system  of  sentiments  as  those  which  he 
imbibed,  such  a  spirit  as  that  which  animated  him, 
and  such  sacred  joys  as  crowned  all,  will  be  animad 
verted  on  in  a  way  agreeable  to  every  one's  taste ;  so 
that  you  will  not  wonder  if,  in  this  rational,  self-opin 
ionated,  erroneous,  and  unbelieving  age,  some  may 
call  it  a  scene  of  enthusiasm,  and  load  it  and  you  with 
reproaches ;  and  indeed,  doctor,  you  stand  fairer  than 
ever  for  the  honor  of  being  a  sort  of  martyr,  I  mean 
in  your  character,  for  the  glorious  cause  of  gospel 
truth,  vital  religion,  and  free  grace.  I  trust,  in  the 
midst  of  all,  you  will  not  be  dismayed." 

To  the  Rev.  Samuel  Clarke,  D.  D. 

"  NORTHAMPTON,  Jan.  1,  1748. 

"  I  thankfully  own  the  goodness  of  God  in  the  kind 
reception  which  Colonel  Gardiner's  Memoirs  have 
mot  with,  at  which  I  wonder  much  more  than  at  the 
faults  found  by  some,  or  even  at  the  virulent  Scotch 
pamphlet  addressed  to  me  on  the  occasion.  I  have  the 
satisfaction  to  hear  that  a  blessing  seems  to  have  at- 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  363 

tended  the  book  to  some  military  men  of  considerable 
rank,  and  to  some  persons  of  quality  about  the  court. 
Of  this  I  am  informed  by  a  very  obliging  letter,  which 
I  may  perhaps  give  you,  but  I  must  beg  you  will  not 
make  it  public.  They  are  translating  the  memoirs 
into  Dutch,  in  which  language  '  The  Rise  and  Prog 
ress'  is  already  published,  and  I  believe  a  French 
translation  will  soon  follow.  I  hope  it  is  a  better 
principle  than  the  desire  of  applause  that  makes  these 
last  advices  so  comfortable  to  me  as  they  are." 

From  Gilbert  West,  Esq.,  L  L.  D. 
[Author  of  "  Observations  on  the  Resurrection  of  Christ."] 

"  WICKHAM,  March  14,  1748. 

"  Upon  my  going  to  town  some  time  ago  I  received, 
by  your  order,  a  present  of  your  Memoirs  of  Colonel 
Gardiner,  for  which  mark  of  your  regard  I  return  you 
my  particular  thanks,  over  and  above  those  which  are 
due  to  you  from  every  one  who  wishes  well  to  Chris 
tianity,  for  this  and  your  many  other  zealous  labors 
in  that  noble  cause. 

"  Example  has  always  a  greater  influence  upon  the 
generality  of  mankind  than  precept,  though  founded 
upon  the  strongest  reason,  and  enforced  by  the  high 
est  authority;  it  cannot,  therefore,  but  be  very  ser 
viceable  to  the  men  of  this  world,  and  particularly  of 
this  age,  to  show  them,  from  the  instances  of  Colonel 
Gardiner,  and  the  three  excellent  brothers  whom  you 
treat  of  in  your  appendix,  that  it  is  possible  for  a  man 
to  be  a  sincere  Christian,  and  at  the  same  time  a  sol 
dier  and  a  gentleman,  characters  that  are  but  too  com 
monly  thought  inconsistent.  All  I  am  afraid  of  is, 
that  the  example  of  Colonel  Gardiner  should  be  look- 


364  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

ed  upon  as  too  bright  for  imitation.  Men  of  cool 
hearts  are  apt  to  suspect  those  degrees  of  zeal  which 
they  never  felt,  to  be  unnatural  and  affected;  for 
which  reason  I  could  wish  that  you  had  not  inserted 
so  many  of  those  rapturous  strains  of  piety,  which 
Colonel  Gardiner  poured  into  the  bosoms  of  those 
friends  to  whom  he  opened  all  his  heart.  Those 
Christians,  indeed,  whose  piety  is  warmed  to  the  same 
exalted  pitch,  may  be  touched  and  thrilled  by  them, 
and  like  unisons,  answer  in  the  same  key  j  and  I  am 
persuaded  there  are  many  such.  But  to  the  generali 
ty  of  men,  especially  men  of  the  world,  I  am  afraid 
these  strains,  the  genuine  effusions  only  of  those  hearts 
which  are  smitten  with  the  love  of  religion,  will  give 
the  whole  character  of  Colonel  Gardiner  an  air  of 
enthusiasm ;  an  effect  which  the  warmth  of  your  affec 
tion  for  that  excellent  man,  and  your  intimate  know 
ledge  of  him,  kept  you,  I  dare  say,  from  suspecting. 

"  This,  and  a  few  peculiarities  of  expression,  are 
the  only  exceptionable  things  in  your  book ;  but  they 
are  abundantly  outweighed  by  the  many  strokes  of 
piety  and  good  sense  which  appear  in  almost  every 
page.  One  I  cannot  help  taking  notice  of  to  you 
upon  this  occasion,  namely,  your  remarks  upon  the 
advantage  of  an  early  education  in  the  principles  of 
religion,  because  I  have  myself  most  happily  experi 
enced  it ;  since  I  owe  to  the  early  care  of  a  most  excel 
lent  woman,  my  mother,  whose  character,  I  dare  say, 
you  are  no  stranger  to,  that  bent  and  bias  to  religion, 
which,  with  the  cooperating  grace  of  God,  hath  at 
length  brought  me  back  to  those  paths  of  peace,  from 
whence  I  might  have  otherwise  been  in  danger  of 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  365 

deviating  for  ever.  The  parallel  between  me  and 
Colonel  Gardiner  was  in  this  instance  too  striking 
not  to  affect  me  exceedingly.  I  hope,  therefore,  that 
you  will  pardon  me  for  mentioning  it.  I  should  also 
beg  your  pardon  for  delivering  so  freely  my  senti 
ments  of  your  book,  could  I  imagine  that  speaking 
truth  would  be  offensive  to  a  lover  of  truth,  and  did 
I  not  think  that  general  praise,  or  a  total  silence  on 
this  occasion,  was  inconsistent  with  the  character  of  a 
friend ;  a  character  which  I  am  ambitious  of  deserv 
ing  at  your  hands. 

"  I  have  frequent  letters  from  that  admirable  friend 
of  ours,  Rev.  John  Jones  of  Alconbury,  which  give 
me  great  pleasure,  as  they  breathe  the  true  benevolent 
spirit  of  Christianity.  I  am  glad  to  find  that  Chris 
tianity  begins  to  be  so  well  understood,  and  taught 
by  so  many  men  of  parts  and  learning  in  all  sects; 
the  fruits  of  which  appear  in  a  candor  and  charity 
unknown  to  all  tne  ages  of  the  church,  except  the 
primitive,  I  had  almost  said  the  apostolic  age.  Does 
not  this  give  you  a  prospect,  though  perhaps  still  very 
distant,  of  the  completion  of  the  famous  prophecy  that 
speaks  of  the  lion  and  the  lamb  lying  down  together 
in  the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah  ?  Lions  there  have  been 
hitherto  in  all  churches,  though  often  disguised  like 
lambs  ]  and  some  lambs  have  there  been  simple  enough 
to  think  it  expedient  for  the  flock  to  assume  the  hab 
its  and  terrors  of  lions.  But  I  hope  they  now  begin 
to  undeceive  themselves,  and  to  consider  Christianity 
as  intending  to  bring  back  the  world  to  that  state  of 
innocence  which  it  enjoyed  before  the  fall,  when  in 
one  and  the  same  Paradise,  to  use  the  words  of  Milton, 


366  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

" '  Frisking,  played 

All  beasts  of  the  earth,  since  wild,  and  of  all  chase, 
In  wood  or  wilderness,  forest  or  den: 
Sporting,  the  lion  romped,  and  in  his  paw 
Dandled  the  kid.' 

To  attain  this  happy  state,  all  Christians  should  unite 
their  endeavors ;  and  instead  of  looking  out  for  and 
insisting  upon  points  of  difference  and  distinction,  seek 
for  those  only  in  which  they  do  or  may  agree.  They 
may  at  least  sow  the  seeds  of  peace  and  unity,  though 
they  should  not  live  to  reap  the  fruits  in  this  world. 
'Blessed  are  the  peacemakers/  says  the  Prince  of 
peace,  '  for  they  shall  be  called  the  children  of  God,' 
an  appellation  infinitely  more  honorable  than  that  of 
archbishop,  patriarch,  cardinal,  or  pope,  and  attended 
with  a  recompense  infinitely  surpassing  the  richest 
revenues  of  the  highest  ecclesiastical  dignity." 

From  the  Rev.  Francis  Ayscough,  D.  D. 

• 
"  CLIFFDEN,  Sept.  8,  1748. 

"  I  took  the  first  opportunity,  after  my  return,  to 
present  the  third  volume  of  your  Expositor,  with  your 
most  humble  duty,  to  her  Royal  Highness,  and  I  have 
her  commands  to  return  you  her  thanks  for  it ;  and  I 
must  beg  you  to  accept  the  same  from  myself  for  that 
which  you  sent  me,  [the  Life  of  Colonel  Gardiner,] 
and  indeed  I  think  it  a  very  good  and  useful  perform 
ance.  Did  I  not  really  think  so,  God  forbid  that  I 
should  tell  you  so ;  for  1  think  no  compliment  should 
be  made  in  any  thing  which  relates  to,  or  is  to  direct 
the  faith  and  morals  of  mankind. 

"  I  thank  you  much  for  your  prayers  for  the  young 
royal  family*  I  hope  they  have  been  effectual,  for  I 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  36? 

can  most  truly  assure  you  that  they  go  on  very  well, 
and  promise  to  be  a  future  blessing  to  the  nation.77 

It  gives  us  great  pleasure  now  to  call  attention  to 
the  noblest  literary  and  theological  production  of  our 
author's  genius,  learning,  critical  acumen,  and  preemi 
nent  piety:  "THE  FAMILY  EXPOSITOR,  containing  a 
Version  and  Paraphrase  of  the  New  Testament,  with 
Critical  Notes,  and  a  practical  Improvement  of  each 
Section."  Such  is  its  title,  and  such  is  a  brief  but 
complete  description  of  its  valuable  contents.  From 
his  introduction  into  the  ministry  he  had  a  work  of 
this  kind  in  view,  and  sedulously  directed  all  his  sub 
sequent  studies  to  the  accumulation  of  materials  for 
it,  or  to  the  preparation  of  his  own  mind  for  accom 
plishing  the  task  in  a  creditable  and  useful  manner. 
The  first  two  volumes,  as  soon  as  ready,  were  pub 
lished  by  subscription ;  the  names  of  the  learned,  the 
noble,  and  the  devout,  swelled  the  list ;  the  last  three 
were  published  after  the  decease  of  the  lamented  au 
thor.  The  new  version  given  by  him  does  great  credit 
to  his  learning,  taste,  and  judgment.  In  1765  it  was 
extracted  from  the  paraphrase  with  which  it  was  in 
corporated,  and  published,  with  some  alterations,  by 
the  editor,  in  a  separate  volume,  an  introduction  and 
some  short  notes  being  included. 

The  author  lived  long  enough  to  finish  his  para 
phrase  and  improvement  of  the  epistles  of  the  New 
Testament,  and  of  the  book  of  the  Revelation,  and  to 
write  these  out  fairly  in  shorthand.  He  had  also 
added  the  principal  notes  which  were  designed  for 
publication.  The  manuscript  volume  containing  the 


PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

Revelation,  is  concluded  in  these  words :  "  Through 
the  good  hand  of  Q-od  upon  me,  which  I  desire  most 
thankfully  to  acknowledge,  I  ended  the  first  copy  of 
the  Family  Expositor  Dec.  31, 1748,  exactly  two  years 
after  I  began  to  write  upon  the  Romans ;  having  pur 
sued  it  during  that  time  without  the  interruption  of 
one  single  day;  such  health  and  such  resolution  did 
it  please  God  to  give  me,  amid  the  various  scenes  of 
business,  danger,  and  amusement,  through  which  I 
passed.  May  his  grace  raise  to  himself  a  monument 
of  praise  from  this  feeble  effort  to  explain,  illustrate, 
and  enforce  his  word.'7  Afterwards  he  writes,  "I 
ended  my  notes  on  the  books  I  had  thus  paraphrased 
and  improved,  Aug.  21,  1749,  having  daily  pursued 
the  work  in  like  manner,  whether  at  home  or  abroad." 

The  manuscript  preparations  detailed  above  were 
transcribed  after  the  author's  decease  by  Rev.  Job 
Orton,  or  under  his  inspection  by  some  of  the  pupils 
of  Dr.  Doddridge,  from  the  shorthand  copy.  In  the 
year  1750,  during  the  author's  lifetime,  a  fire  origi 
nated  among  his  papers,  which  very  soon  would  have 
destroyed  the  valuable  toils  of  many  years. 

No  one  can  read  without  deep  interest  the  account 
which  he  himself  gives  of  the  event  in  a  letter 

To  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Fawcett. 

"NORTHAMPTON,  June  26,  1750. 

"  As  I  was  setting  out  on  my  blessed  journey  to 
Lady  Huntingdon,  for  such  indeed  it  was,  yesterday 
was  sevennight,  a  terrible  accident  happened  in  my 
study  which  might  have  been  attended  with  fatal  con 
sequences.  I  had  been  sealing  a  letter  with  a  little 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  369 

roll  of  wax,  and  I  thought  I  had  blown  it  out,  when, 
fanned  by  the  motion  of  the  air,  as  I  rose  in  haste,  it 
was  rekindled.  It  burned  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
while  we  were  at  prayer,  and  would  have  gone  on  to 
consume  perhaps  the  closet  and  the  house,  had  not  my 
opposite  neighbor  seen  the  flames  and  given  an  alarm. 
When  I  came  up  I  found  my  desk,  which  was  covered 
with  papers,  burning  like  an  altar.  Many  letters, 
papers  of  memorandums,  and  schemes  for  sermons, 
were  consumed.  My  book  of  accounts  was  on  fire, 
and  the  names  at  the  top  almost  burnt  through,  a  vol 
ume  of  the  Family  Expositor,  the  original  manuscript 
from  Corinthians  to  Ephesians,  surrounded  with  flames, 
and  drenched  in  melted  wax.  The  fire  had  kindled  up 
around  it,  and  burned  off  some  leaves,  and  the  corners 
of  the  other  books,  so  that  there  is  not  one  leaf  entire ; 
and  yet  so  did  God  moderate  the  rage  of  this  ele 
ment,  and  determine  in  his  providence  the  time  of  our 
entrance,  that  not  one  account  is  rendered  uncertain 
by  what  it  suffered,  nor  is  one  line  which  had  not  been 
transcribed  destroyed  in  the  manuscript.  I  have  to 
add,  that  all  my  sermons  and  manuscripts  intended 
for  the  press,  and  among  the  rest  the  remainder  of 
the  Family  Expositor,  were  all  in  such  danger,  that 
the  fire,  in  an  another  quarter  of  an  hour,  had  proba 
bly  consumed  them.  Observe,  my  dear  friend,  the 
hand  of  God,  and  magnify  the  Lord  with  me. 

"  I  earnestly  beg  your  prayers,  and  entreat  you  to 
salute  my  praying  friends  with  redoubled  salutations 
in  this  view,  and  with  this  message,  'The  grace  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  all  your  spirits,  and 
with  your  families.'" 

16* 


370  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

To  the  Rev.  Samuel  Wood,  D.  D. 

"  NORTHAMPTON,  April  9,  1751. 

"  My  heart  has  been  much  set  on  promoting  the 
youth's  scheme,  but  to  my  great  grief  I  have  not  found 
in  many  of  our  congregations  that  encouragement  which 
I  hoped.  Something  however  is  done,  and  much  more 
in  proportion  from  London  than  from  the  country. 
There  are,  however,  nine  lads,  some  of  them  very 
promising,  who  are  supported  by  it;  I  sometimes 
think  two  of  them  will  offer  themselves  as  missiona 
ries  to  New  York,  to  plant  the  gospel  among  the  In 
dians  there,  and  glad  at  my  heart  should  I  be  if  my 
only  son  were  desirous  of  being  the  third. 

"I  am  at  present  under  great  concern  for  the  ill 
ness,  I  fear  the  dangerous  illness  of  my  generous, 
faithful,  endeared  friend  Mr.  Lyttelton.  It  is  the 
smallest  part  of  this  concern,  that  it  prevents  him 
from  doing  that  service  to  my  subscription  to  the 
remaining  volumes  of  the  Family  Expositor,  which  he 
was  resolved  to  have  attempted,  and  which,  with  so 
great  an  interest,  he  might  probably  enough  have 
effected.  The  greater  part  of  that  disappointment  to 
me  is,  that  it  may  prevent  its  coming  into  the  hands 
of  some  in  higher  life,  to  whom  it  may  otherwise  have 
no  access;  but  God  limits  or  extends  all  such  pros 
pects  at  pleasure ;  and  I  desire  to  refer  it  to  him,  with 
what  degrees  of  encouragement  the  work  shall  be  pub 
lished,  and  indeed  whether  it  shall  be  published  or 
not.  The  three  volumes  will  hardly  be  published  at 
so  small  a  price  as  a  thousand  pounds,  and  I  shall 
judge  it  the  part  of  prudence,  and  therefore  of  duty, 
not  to  send  them  to  the  press  on  any  terms  on  which 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  371 

I  shall  not  be  secure ;  and  if  there  be  such  a  number 
subscribed  or  bespoke  by  booksellers  as  to  effect  that, 
I  shall  go  on  with  the  publication  as  fast  as  I  can, 
and  bless  God  for  such  an  opportunity  of  doing  my 
public  homage  to  his  word,  and  endeavoring,  with  all 
integrity  and  simplicity,  to  make  it  understood,  and 
to  enforce  it  on  men's  consciences,  according  to  the 
little  ability  he  has  been  pleased  to  give  me;  which 
truly  I  think  so  little,  that  I  am  sometimes  almost 
ashamed  of  having  undertaken  so  great  a  work. 

"  I  have  of  late  been  much  indisposed  with  a  cold, 
which  is  returned  again,  but  not  with  so  much  violence 
as  before.  I  know  I  have  your  prayers,  and  I  delight 
in  the  thought  we  are  tending  to  one  blessed  home. 
Our  interview  at  Norwich  was  pleasant;  how  much 
more  so  will  that  be  which  we  expect  in  our  Father's 
house.  This  poor  letter  has  been  written  raptim  at 
several  times.  I  have  filled  my  four  pages,  and  yet 
seem  but  to  have  begun.  But  I  must  conclude  with 
every  good  wish  for  you  and  youjs  that  the  tenderest 
friendship  can  form." 

Dr.  Thomas  Hartwell  Home  characterizes  the 
Expositor  as  a  masterly  work,  an  admirable  commen 
tary,  and  quotes  with  approbation  the  opinion  of  it 
expressed  by  Dr.  Barrington,  late  Bishop  of  Durham, 
in  addressing  his  clergy  on  the  choice  of  books :  "  In 
reading  the  New  Testament  I  recommend  Dr.  Dod- 
dridge's  '  Family  Expositor/  as  an  impartial  interpre 
ter  and  faithful  monitor.  Other  expositions  and  com 
mentaries  might  be  mentioned,  greatly  to  the  honor 
of  their  respective  authors,  for  their  several  excellen- 


372  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

ces,  such  as  elegance  of  exposition,  acuteness  of  illus 
tration,  and  copiousness  of  erudition;  but  I  know  of 
no  expositor  who  unites  so  many  advantages  as  Dr. 
Doddridge;  whether  you  regard  the  fidelity  of  his 
version,  the  fulness  and  perspicuity  of  his  composition, 
the  utility  of  his  general  and  historical  information, 
the  impartiality  of  his  doctrinal  comments,  or  lastly, 
the  piety  and  pastoral  earnestness  of  his  moral  and 
religious  applications.  He  has  made,  as  he  professes 
to  have  done,  ample  use  of  the  commentators  that  pre 
ceded  him;  and  in  the  explanation  of  grammatical 
difficulties,  he  has  profited  much  more  from  the  philo 
logical  writers  on  the  Greek  Testament  than  could 
almost  have  been  expected  in  so  multifarious  an  un 
dertaking  as  the  Family  Expositor.  Indeed,  for  all 
the  most  valuable  purposes  of  a  commentary  on  the 
New  Testament,  the  Family  Expositor  cannot  fall  too 
early  into  the  hands  of  those  intended  for  holy  or 
ders." 

Bishops  Watson,  and  Tomline,  and  various  other 
theological  instructors  of  high  repute  in  England  and 
in  this  country,  join  in  the  recommendation  of  this 
excellent  production. 

One  short  extract  of  a  letter  from  Warburton  to 
Doddridge,  soon  after  he  had  received  the  first  vol 
ume  of  the  "  Family  Expositor,"  will  show  something 
of  the  friendship  between  them :  "  Before  I  left  the 
country  I  had  the  pleasure  of  receiving  your  '  Family 
Expositor.'  My  mother  and  I  took  it  by  turns.  She, 
who  is  superior  to  me  in  every  thing,  aspired  to  the 
divine  learning  of  the  '  Improvements/  while  I  kept 
grovelling  in  the  human  learning  of  the  notes  below. 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  373 

The  result  of  all  was,  that  she  says  she  is  sure  you 
are  a  very  good  man,  and  I  am  sure  you  are  a  very 
learned  one." 

Of  the  preparation,  the  admirable  qualities,  and 
benign  effects  of  this  production,  nothing  could  be 
said  more  beautiful  or  just  than  has  been  put  forth  by 
Dr.  James  Hamilton,  in  the  North  British  Review : 

"  It  is  delightful  to  us  to  think  of  all  the  joys  with 
which,  for  twenty  years,  that  Expositor  filled  the  dear 
mind  of  Dr.  Doddridge ;  how  one  felicitous  rendering 
was  suggested  after  another ;  how  a  bright  solution 
of  a  textual  difficulty  would  rouse  him  an  hour  before 
his  usual  time,  and  set  the  study  fire  a  blazing  at  four 
o'clock  of  a  winter's  morning ;  and  then  how  beauti 
ful  the  first  quarto  looked  as  it  arrived  with  its  laid 
sheets  and  snowy  margins.  We  see  him  setting  out 
to  spend  a  week's  holiday  at  St.  Albans,  or  with  the 
Honorable  Mrs.  Scawen,  at  Maidwell,  and  packing 
the  '  apparatus  criticus '  into  the  spacious  saddle-bags ; 
and  we  enjoy  the  prelibation  with  which  Dr.  Clarke 
and  a  few  cherished  friends  are  favored.  We  sympa 
thize  in  his  dismay  when  word  arrives  that  Dr.  Guyse 
has  forestalled  his  design,  and  we  are  comforted  when 
the  doctor's  chariot  lumbers  on,  and  no  longer  stops 
the  way.  We  are  even  glad  at  the  appalling  accident 
which  set  on  fire  the  manuscript  of  the  concluding- 
volume,  charring  its  edges,  and  bathing  it  all  in  mol 
ten  wax;  for  we  know  how  exulting  would  be  the 
thanks  for  its  deliverance.  We  can  even  fancy  the 
pious  hope  dawning  in  the  writer's  mind,  that  it  might 
prove  a  blessing  to  the  princess  to  whom  it  was  in 
scribed;  and  we  can  excuse  him  if,  with  bashful  dis- 


374  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

allowance,  lie  still  believed  the  fervid  praises  of  For- 
dyce  and  Warburton,  or  tried  to  extract  an  atom  of 
intelligent  commendation  from  the  stately  compli 
ments  of  bishops. 

"But  far  be  it  from  us  to  insinuate  that  the  chief 
value  of  the  Expositor  was  the  pleasure  with  which  it 
supplied  the  author.  If  not  so  minutely  erudite  as 
some  later  works  which  have  profited  by  German 
research,  its  learning  is  still  sufficient  to  shed  honor 
on  the  writer,  and  on  a  community  debarred  from 
colleges;  and  there  must  be  original  thinking  in  a 
book  which  is  by  some  regarded  as  the  source  of 
Paley's  '  Horse  Paulinas.'  But  next  to  its  practical 
observations,  its  chief  excellence  is  its  paraphrase. 
There  the  sense  of  the  sacred  writers  is  rescued  from 
the  haze  of  too  familiar  words,  and  is  transfused  into 
language  not  only  fresh  and  expressive,  but  congenial 
and  devout;  and  while  difficulties  are  fairly  and  ear 
nestly  dealt  with,  instead  of  a  dry  grammarian  or  a 
one-sided  polemic,  the  reader  constantly  feels  that  he 
is  in  the  company  of  a  saint  and  a  scholar.  And  al 
though  we  could  name  interpreters  more  profound, 
and  analysts  more  subtle,  we  know  not  any  who  has 
proceeded  through  the  whole  New  Testament  with  so 
much  candor,  or  who  has  brought  to  its  elucidation 
truer  taste  and  holier  feeling.  He  lived  to  complete 
the  manuscript,  and  to  see  three  volumes  published. 
He  was  cheered  to  witness  its  acceptance  with  all  the 
churches;  and  to  those  who  love  his  memory,  it  is  a 
welcome  thought  to  think  in  how  many  myriads  of 
closets  and  family  circles  its  author  when  dead  has 
spoken.  And  as  his  death  in  a  foreign  land  forfeited 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  375 

the  insurance  by  which  he  had  somewhat  provided  for' 
his  family,  we  confess  to  a  certain  comfort  in  knowing 
that  the  loss  was  replaced  by  this  literary  legacy. 
But  the  great  source  of  complacency  is,  that  He  to 
whom  the  work  was  consecrated  had  a  favor  for  it, 
and  has  given  it  the  greatest  honor  that  a  human 
book  can  have,  making  it  extensively  the  means  of 
explaining  and  endearing  the  book  of  God." 

From  the  Rev.  John  Barker. 

"  WALTHAMSTOW,  July  4,  1749. 

"  I  have  several  reasons  for  writing  so  soon  again 
to  my  dear  and  reverend  friend ;  the  first  of  which  is, 
to  congratulate  him  on  his  birthday.  What  you  say 
of  it  is  hardly  civil.  Had  you  said  it  to  an  enemy,  it 
had  been  exceptionable,  but  to  a  friend  it  is  intolera 
ble.  What,  have  you  prayed  and  preached,  and 
written  so  many  useful,  learned,  profitable  books  at 
forty-seven  years  of  age,  and  yet  call  your  next  birth 
day  '  the  forty-eighth  year  of  an  unprofitable  and  sinful 
life  ?'  Give  me  leave,  sir,  to  bless  God  for  your  life 
and  labors,  and  to  tell  you  that  I  know  not  a  more 
profitable  or  a  less  sinful  life  than  yours  in  this  world ; 
and  I  pray  God  may  prolong  it  for  his  glory,  and  the 
good  of  his  church." 

It  appears  from  his  correspondence  that  Dr.  Dod- 
dridge  entertained  much  concern  for  the  propagation 
of  Christianity  among  the  aborigines  of  this  country. 
He  wrote  a  dedication  of  an  abridgment  of  David 
Brainerd's  journal  of  his  missions  among  the  Indians 
of  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania,  to  the  Honorable 
Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge  in  the 


376  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

Highlands  of  Scotland,  and  in  Popish  and  Infidel 
Parts  of  the  World.  Of  this  society,  Dr.  Doddridge 
was  one  of  the  corresponding  secretaries,  and  Mr. 
Brain erd  was  a  missionary.  Writing  under  date  of 
August  25,  1750,  to  the  Rev.  Samuel  Wood,  D.  D.,  he 
says, 

"  You  may  remember  that  there  were  three  affairs 
of  a  public  nature  which  were  the  objects  of  my  par 
ticular  solicitude :  the  procuring  a  third  tutor  for  my 
academy,  the  providing  for  lads  not  yet  fit  for  aca 
demical  education,  and  the  doing  something  for  the 
service  of  New  Jersey,  in  the  propagation  of  Chris 
tianity  abroad.  Providence  has  accomplished  the  first 
of  these  schemes  by  the  unexpected  success  of  the  sec 
ond;  and  has  opened  some  promising  hopes  concern 
ing  the  third,  beyond  what  had  entered  into  my  mind 
when  I  parted  with  you.  The  want  of  ministers  and 
students  is  so  seen  and  felt,  and  the  necessity  of  the 
scheme  for  educating  lads  not  yet  ripe  for  academical 
studies  is  grown  so  apparent,  that  between  three  and 
fourscore  pounds  per  annum  have  been,  without  any 
pressing  solicitations  from  me,  subscribed  for  that  pur 
pose  in  and  about  London. 

"As  for  the  scheme  of  the  New  Jerseys,  Colonel 
Williams  encourages  me  to  hope  that  Mr.  Pemberton, 
the  minister  at  New  York,  on  my  favoring  the  scheme, 
as  I  certainly  shall,  will  come  to  Britain,  and  make 
a  tour  over  its  northern  and  southern  parts,  carrying 
along  with  him  two  converted  and  civilized  Indians, 
as  a  specimen  of  what  has  been  already  done.  He 
proposes  to  attempt  a  collection  in  the  chief  congre 
gations  which  he  may  visit  on  this  journey,  after  which 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  3ft 

he  may  very  properly  write  such  a  letter  in  his  own 
name  to  the  dissenting  ministers  in  England,  as  I 
expressed  my  thoughts  of  writing,  and  may  with  yet 
more  propriety  recommend  and  enforce  the  advice 
laid  down  in  the  preface  to  my  sermon  at  Ketteri»g." 

In  1748,  Dr.  Doddridge  rendered  a  good  service 
to  the  cause  of  piety  and  theological  literature  by 
revising  the  Expository  and  other  works  of  Arch 
bishop  Leighton,  and  translating  his  Latin  Prelec 
tions,  which  were  published  at  Edinburgh  in  two  vol 
umes.  The  editorial  labor  thus  performed  is  described 
by  himself  in  a  letter  to  his  friend  Dr.  Samuel  Clarke, 
Oct.  22,  1747. 

"I  have  almost  gone  through  my  corrections  of 
Archbishop  Leighton's  Commentary  on  Peter,  which  I 
esteem  one  of  the  most  excellent  pieces  I  have  ever 
read;  yet  I  never  saw  any  thing  equally  incorrect. 
I  have,  with  the  strictest  care,  avoided  adding  or 
retrenching  any  thing,  but  I  hope  you  will  find  them 
read  the  better  for  having  passed  through  my  hands. 
I  have  restored  the  true  division  of  the  sentences, 
which  were  everywhere  perplexed,  three  or  four  being 
generally  thrown  into  one ;  and  commas,  colons,  and 
periods  everywhere  confounded,  so  that  they  might 
frequently  seem  to  be  placed  by  chance.  Besides, 
there  was  hardly  a  passage  where  there  was  not  some 
word  wanting  to  complete  the  sense,  and  frequently 
the  most  gross  errors  that  can  be  imagined.  I  have 
received  a  large  collection  of  his  letters  never  before 
printed ;  among  them  are  those  from  which  Mr.  Ben- 
net  made  his  extracts  in  his  Christian  Oratory. 


378  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

"I  have  seen  Mr.  West,  with  whose  conversation 
I  am  charmed,  and  who  seems  to  breathe  in  a  remark 
able  manner  the  true  spirit  of  Christianity.  I  have 
engaged  him,  I  hope,  to  pursue  a  work  of  which  I  had 
once  some  thoughts  myself,  but  which  I  was  extremely 
glad  should  devolve  upon  one  capable  of  executing  it 
so  well.  I  mean  the  Proof  of  Christianity  which 
arises  from  what  remains  of  the  writings  of  Celsus; 
and  I  doubt  not  that  the  world  will  then  see,  in  a 
stronger  manner  than  it  was  aware,  that  '  out  of  the 
eater  cometh  forth  meat,  and  out  of  the  strong  sweet 
ness/" 

The  revised  edition  of  Leighton,  so  largely  indebt 
ed  for  its  acceptableness  to  the  taste,  diligence,  and 
care  of  Dr.  Doddridge,  appeared  in  two  volumes,  hav 
ing  consumed  a  large  amount  of  valuable  time ;  yet, 
perhaps,  time  could  not  have  been  more  usefully  em 
ployed,  for,  as  Mr.  Orton  says,  the  delight  and  edifica 
tion  which  he  found  in  the  writings  of  this  wonderful 
man,  whom  he  calls  an  adept  in  true  Christianity,  he 
esteemed  a  full  equivalent  for  his  pains,  separate  from 
the  prospect  of  the  good  effect  which  they  might  ex 
ert  on  others.  Dr.  Doddridge,  in  his  preface,  states 
that  he  never  spent  a  quarter  of  an  hour  in  reviewing 
any  of  them,  but  amidst  the  interruption  which  a  crit 
ical  examination  of  the  copy  would  naturally  give,  he 
felt  some  impressions  which  he  desired  always  to  re 
tain.  He  found  in  them  such  heart-affecting  lessons 
of  simplicity  and  humility,  candor  and  benevolence, 
exalted  piety  without  the  least  tincture  of  enthusiasm, 
and  an  entire  mortification  of  every  earthly  interest 
without  any  mixture  of  splenetic  resentment,  as  be 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  379 

thought  co aid  hardly  be  found  anywhere  else  but  in 
the  sacred  oracles.  He  expressed  a  cheerful  hope 
that  God  would  make  the  revised  work  the  means  of 
promoting  true  Christianity,  and  that  spirit  of  Cathol 
icism  for  which  the  archbishop  was  so  remarkable,  and 
also  of  extending  it  among  various  denominations  of 
Christians  in  Great  Britain. 

Of  the  Hymns  written  by  Doddridge,  of  which  his 
biographer  Orton  published  after  his  death  nearly  four 
hundred,  much  might  be  said.  Many  of  them,  as  we 
have  already  intimated,  were  expressly  prepared  to 
be  sung  after  his  sermons  by  a  congregation  of  plain 
people,  who,  with  many  others,  had  often  requested 
their  publication;  but  the  time  of  their  author  was 
wholly  occupied  in  what  he  regarded  more  important 
labors.  Orton  arranged  them  according  to  the  order 
of  the  texts  on  which  they  were  founded,  with  a  pref 
ace,  and  notes  in  which  he  explained  words  which  he 
considered  "  not  sufficiently  intelligible  to  common 
readers,"  and  "added  some  more  plain  and  familiar 
ones  in  the  margin,  that  they  may  be  read  and  sung 
with  understanding."  It  is  somewhat  amusing  to  see 
among  the  words  claiming  in  the  editor's  opinion  to 
have  "more  plain  and  familiar  ones" — "Hail,"  "la 
tent,"  "stern,"  "pervades,"  "Afric,"  etc.  Some  time 
after  they  were  published,  Mrs.  Doddridge  wrote  to 
Orton,  under  date  of  May  4,  1755,  "I  have  the  pleas 
ure  to  find,  so  far  as  this  book  has  yet  been  known,  it 
has  met  with  pretty  general  acceptance.  Many  of  my 
best  friends  consider  it  as  a  valuable  supplement  to 
Dr.  Watts,  and  as  such  are  solicitous  to  introduce  it 


380  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

into  their  respective  congregations.  I  think  I  can 
truly  say  I  wish  this  may  be  generally  done,  more 
from  the  hope  I  have  they  may  do  something  to  revive 
religion  in  the  world  than  from  any  personal  advan 
tage."  In  not  a  few  English  congregations  the  book 
was  thus  used  in  connection  with  "  Watts'  Psalms  and 
Hymns/7  and  the  reader  need  not  be  told  that  many 
of  them  are  yet  retained  in  most  of  the  hymn-books 
now  used. 

From  a  manuscript  written  by  Doddridge,  which 
in  1836  was  in  the  hands  of  an  excellent  English  min 
ister  a  few  pleasant  incidents  may  be  gleaned  as  to 
the  origin  of  some  of  these  compositions.  The  well- 
known  hymn, 

"  Let  Zion's  watchmen  all  awake," 

was  written  on  the  occasion  of  an  ordination,  Oct. 
21,  1736.  The  hymn, 

"  My  God,  thy  service  well  demands," 

bearing  for  its  title  in  Orton's  volume,  "  On  recovery 
from  sickness,  during  which  much  of  the  Divine  favor 
had  been  experienced,"  has  in  the  manuscript  this  note : 
"Particularly  intended  for  the  use  of  a  friend,  Miss 
Nancy  Bliss,  who  had  been  in  the  extremest  danger 
by  the  bursting  of  an  artery  in  her  stomach.  Nov. 
14,  1737."  The  second  verse,  as  printed  by  Orton, 
stands : 

"  Thine  arms  of  everlasting  love 

Did  this  weak  frame  sustain, 
When  life  was  hovering  o'er  the  grave, 

And  nature  sunk  with  pain." 

The  closing  couplet  of  this  verse  is,  in  the  original, 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  381 

far  more  poetical,  and  has  a  distinct  reference  to  the 
occasion  on  which  it  was  written : 

"  When  life  in  purple  torrents  flowed 
From  every  sinking  vein." 

The  beautiful  hymn,  less  known  than  it  should  be, 
"  Awake,  my  soul,  to  meet  the  day," 

was  one  of  his  productions.  He  rose  every  morning 
throughout  the  year  at  five  o'clock,  a  habit  to  which 
we  owe  his  "  Family  Expositor  of  the  New  Testament." 
This  hymn  originally  consisted  of  seven  verses,  and 
was  constantly  used  by  him  as  an  act  of  devotion,  on 
which  account  he  entitled  it  "A  Morning  Hymn,  to 
be  sung  at  Awaking  and  Rising."  We  are  told  that 
as  the  sixth  verse  was  yet  upon  his  lips,  he  sprang  out 

of  bed— 

"  Pardon,  0  God,  my  former  sloth, 
And  arm  my  soul  with  grace, 
As,  rising  now,  I  seal  my  vows 
To  prosecute  my  ways." 

Instead  of  attempting  to  prepare  a  critical  estimate 
of  the  great  merit  of  Dr.  Doddridge  as  an  author,  we 
prefer  to  introduce  a  letter  from  the  learned  Dr.  Isaac 
Watts  upon  this  subject,  addressed  to  the  Rev.  David 
Longueville,  minister  of  the  English  church  in  Amster 
dam  ;  first  giving  a  short  letter  to  Dr.  Doddridge, 
which  enclosed  or  referred  to  a  copy  of  the  former. 

From  the  Rev.  Isaac  Watts,  D.  D. 

"  STOKE  NEWINGTON,  Jan.  26,  1746. 
"I  know  of  nothing  that  I  have  taken  amiss  from 
you,  nor  would  I  have  you  suspect  it.     Let  my  letter 


382  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

of  recommendation  which  I  wrote  to  Mr.  Longue- 
ville  be  a  constant  memorial  to  you  how  near  you 
are  to  my  heart,  and  that  I  suffer  no  slanders  to  make 
a  division  between  us.  I  have  much  to  thank  you  for, 
besides  your  daily  prayers ;  but  I  would  take  leave  to 
admonish  you,  that  your  speaking  of  the  books  you 
design  to  publish  so  many  months  before  any  of  them 
appear,  does  not  do  you  much  service ;  your  comment 
on  the  Acts  especially,  and  your  '  Life  of  Colonel  Gar 
diner/  have  long  been  expected  with  tiresome  desires, 
but  I  know  your  daily  calls  of  duty  fill  up  almost  every 
inch  of  your  time. 

"May  the  grace  of  God  ever  assist  and  bless  you 
in  all  your  labors  and  designs  for  his  honor,  and  the 
praise  of  our  dear  Redeemer,  which  is  much  more  on 
my  heart  as  I  come  nearer  to  the  end  of  my  race." 

From  the  Rev.  Dr.  Watts  to  the  Rev.  David  Longueville. 

"REVEREND  SIR — It  is  a  very  agreeable  employ 
ment  to  which  you  call  me,  and  a  very  sensible  honor 
you  put  upon  me,  when  you  desire  me  to  give  you  my 
sentiments  of  that  renowned  and  learned  writer  Dr. 
Doddridge,  to  be  prefixed  to  a  translation  of  any  of 
his  works  in  the  Dutch  tongue. 

"  I  have  well  known  him  many  years ;  and  have 
enjoyed  a  constant  intimacy  and  friendship  with  him 
ever  since  the  providence  of  God  called  him  to  be  a 
professor  of  human  sciences,  and  a  teacher  of  sacred 
theology  to  young  men  among  us,  who  are  trained  up 
for  the  ministry  of  the  gospel.  I  have  no  need  to 
give  you  a  large  account  of  his  knowledge  in  the  sci 
ences,  in  which  I  confess  him  to  be  greatly  my  supe- 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  383 

rior ;  and  as  to  the  doctrines  of  divinity,  and  the 
gospel  of  Christ,  I  know  not  any  man  of  greater  skill 
than  himself,  and  hardly  sufficient  to  be  his  second. 
As  he  hath  a  most  exact  acquaintance  with  the  things 
of  God  and  our  holy  religion,  so  far  as  we  are  let 
into  the  knowledge  of  them  by  the  light  of  nature 
and  the  revelations  of  Scripture,  so  he  hath  a  most 
happy  manner  of  teaching  those  who  are  younger. 
He  hath  a  most  skilful  and  condescending  way  of  in 
struction  ;  nor  is  there  any  person  of  my  acquaintance 
with  whom  I  more  entirely  agree  in  all  the  senti 
ments  of  the  doctrines  of  Christ.  He  is  a  hearty  be 
liever  of  the  great  articles  and  important  principles 
of  the  reformed  church ;  a  most  affectionate  preacher 
and  pathetic  writer  on  the  practical  part  of  religion; 
and,  in  one  word,  since  I  am  now  advanced  in  age, 
beyond  my  seventieth  year,  if  there  were  any  man  to 
whom  Providence  would  permit  me  to  commit  a  sec 
ond  part  of  my  life  and  usefulness  in  the  church  of 
Christ,  Dr.  Doddridge  should  be  the  man. 

"If  you  have  read  that  excellent  performance  of 
his,  'The  Rise  and  Progress/  etc.,  you  will  be  of  my 
mind;  his  dedication  to  me  is  the  only  thing  in  that 
book  I  could  hardly  permit  myself  to  approve.  Be 
sides  all  this,  he  possesseth  a  spirit  of  so  much  charity, 
love,  and  goodness  towards  his  fellow- Christians,  who 
may  fall  into  some  lesser  differences  of  opinion,  as  be- 
cometh  a  follower  of  the  blessed  Jesus,  his  Master 
and  mine. 

"In  the  practical  part  of  his  labors  and  his  minis 
try,  he  hath  sufficiently  shown  himself  most  happily 
furnished  with  all  proper  gifts  and  talents  to  lead  per- 


384  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

sons  of  all  ranks  and  ages  into  serious  piety  and  strict 
religion. 

"  I  esteem  it  a  considerable  honor,  which  the  prov 
idence  of  God  hath  done  me,  when  it  makes  use  of  me 
as  an  instrument  to  promote  the  usefulness  of  this  great 
man  in  any  part  of  the  world :  and  it  is  my  hearty 
prayer,  that  our  Lord  Jesus,  the  Head  of  the  church, 
may  bless  all  his  labors  with  the  most  glorious  suc 
cess. 

"  I  am,  reverend  sir,  with  sincerity,  your  faithful 
humble  servant,  and  affectionate  brother  in  the  gospel 

of  our  common  Lord, 

"  ISAAC  WATTS." 

In  closing  this  account  of  Doddridge  as  an  author, 
we  avail  ourselves  of  a  paragraph  from  Stoughton's 
Memorial,  which  conveys  an  accurate  and  just  idea  of 
his  style  of  composition : 

"A  remarkable  evenness  appears  in  Doddridge's 
compositions.  They  do  not  present  much  to  provoke 
or  invite  criticism.  Their  faults  are  not  such  as  to 
call  for  severe  censure,  nor  their  excellences  such  as 
to  extort  rapturous  praise.  In  reading  his  works,  we 
are  not  detained  either  by  glaring  imperfections  or 
by  glowing  beauties,  but  we  glide  on  quietly,  pleased 
in  a  high  degree  by  the  calm  loveliness  of  the  whole 
prospect.  Doddridge  compared  Baxter  to  Demos 
thenes  ;  Kippis  has  paid  Doddridge  the  compliment  of 
comparing  him  to  Cicero.  The  compliment  betrays 
partiality,  especially  as  it  regards  the  diction  of  the 
English  divine,  which  lacks  the  perfect  finish  and 
peerless  rhythm  of  the  classic  model.  There  is  a  pol 
ish,  however,  in  Doddridge's  style,  such  as  we  miss  in 


HIS  PUBLISHED  WORKS.  385 

most  of  his  non-conformist  and  many  of  his  Episcopal 
predecessors.  He  had  studied  in  the  Addisonian 
school,  but  he  suffered  himself  to  indulge  in  too  great 
a  redundancy  of  expression ;  yet  many  happy  turns  of 
language  show  his  power  over  that  instrument  of 
thought ;  and  several  of  his  hymns,  while  they  pretend 
not  to  the  higher  characteristics  of  poetry,  are  em 
inent  examples  of  that  mastery  over  words  which 
makes  a  skilful  versifier.  His  famous  lines  on  the 
family  motto,  Dum  vivimus  vivamus,  deserve  the  warm 
eulogium  of  the  old  king  of  critics,  Dr.  Johnson,  as 
one  of  the  finest  epigrams  in  the  English  tongue. 

"  Live  while  you  live,"  the  epicure  would  say, 
"  And  seize  the  pleasures  of  the  present  day." 
"  Live  while  you  live,"  the  sacred  preacher  cries, 
"  And  give  to  God  each  moment  as  it  flies." 

Lord,  in  my  life,  let  both  united  be ; 

I  live  in  pleasure,  when  I  live  to  Thee. 

To  the  above  lines  may  be  added  those  which  were 
written  by  Dr.  Doddridge,  when  his  daughter  wound 
ed  her  foot  by  treading  on  a  thorn : 

Oft  have  I  heard  the  ancient  sages  say, 
"  The  path  of  virtue  is  a  thorny  way." 
If  so,  dear  Celia,  we  may  know 
Which  path  it  is  you  tread,  which  way  it  is  you  go. 


IT 


386  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 


CHAPTER  VII. 
PROMINENT  TRAITS  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

FOR  the  sketch  now  to  be  presented  we  are  chiefly 
indebted  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Orton,  who,  haying  been  his 
pupil,  his  assistant,  and  most  valued  personal  friend, 
was  eminently  qualified  to  present  a  faithful  portrait 
ure  of  the  man  he  so  justly  venerated,  and  so  ardently 
loved. 

1.  DR.  DODDRIDGE  WAS  REMARKABLE  FOR  AN  IN 
DUSTRIOUS  AND  UNTIRING  APPLICATION  TO  THE  DUTIES 
OF  LIFE,  AND  FOB  GREAT  DISPATCH  IN  THE  DISCHARGE 
OF  THEM. 

This  must  have  been  seen  in  what  has  been  already 
said  of  him  as  a  student,  a  pastor,  and  an  instructor ; 
but  additional  illustrations  may  be  acceptable  and 
useful. 

In  his  mature  years  he  formed  definite  plans  for 
the  use  of  time,  assigning  to  each  hour  the  largest 
amount  of  work  he  was  capable  of  performing.  He 
was  accustomed  often  to  call  himself  to  a  rigid  ac 
count  for  the  industry  and  the  faithfulness  with  which 
such  plans  had  been  accomplished.  He  often  wrote 
down  severe  self-accusations,  while  others,  in  their 
estimate  of  his  labors,  would  have  commended  and 
admired  his  diligence. 

When  entering  upon  the  year  1737,  he  wrote,  "  I 
am  come  to  the  beginning  of  another  year,  which  I 
am  ready  to  believe  will  be  the  last.  The  Lord  grant 
that  whether  it  be  so  or  not,  it  may  be  the  best  I  ever 


HIS  PROMINENT  TRAITS.  387 

spent;  a  year  of  constant  communion  with  God,  of 
steady  devotedness  of  soul  to  him.  I  have  resolved 
to  renew  the  following  rules  of  life,  and  to  endeavor 
to  dispatch  the  following  articles  of  business  with  the 
divine  assistance.  1.  To  rise  at  six  o'clock,  winter 
and  summer,  unless  urgent  occasion  prevent.  2.  To 
begin  the  day  on  my  knees,  wherever  I  am  and  what 
ever  I  have  to  do.  3.  To  read  some  portion  of  Scrip 
ture,  and  if  possible,  to  write  some  of  my  Family 
Expositor  every  morning.  4.  To  read  something  in 
a  book  of  practical  devotion.  5.  To  dispatch  at  least 
one  letter  every  day,  and  to  be  more  careful  in  an 
swering  my  correspondents.  6.  To  talk  at  least  to 
one  pupil  a  day,  when  with  them,  about  the  affairs  of 
his  soul,  more  or  less  publicly  or  privately.  7.  To 
visit  as  often  as  I  can,  especially  from  three  in  the 
afternoon,  beyond  which  I  would  seldom  be  at  home 
without  great  necessity.  8.  To  keep  a  more  exact 
account  of  my  expenses,  and  to  lay  out  as  much  as  I 
can  in  charity.  9.  To  eat  more  moderately,  especially 
at  supper,  than  I  have  for  some  time  of  late  done,  and 
to  be  less  solicitous  about  the  kind  of  my  food.  10. 
To  promote  religious  discourse  more.  11.  To  read 
some  Latin  and  Greek,  if  possible,  every  day.  12. 
To  read  the  Scriptures  in  an  evening,  at  least  what  I 
had  written  on  in  the  morning.  13.  To  examine  my 
self.  14.  To  keep  memorandums.  15.  To  lie  down 
in  a  good  frame,  and  endeavor  to  rise  with  God.  16. 
To  endeavor,  as  much  as  I  can,  to  live  by  rule.  17. 
To  expect  death  every  day." 

In  writing  to  Dr.  Samuel  Clarke,  Nov.  24,  1739. 
he  makes  this  statement:  "I  bless  God  I  have  for  a 


388  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

considerable  time  been  perfectly  well,  and  do  not  find 
myself  fatigued  by  my  labors ;  though,  indeed,  except 
ing  an  hour  or  two  after  dinner  and  supper,  they  have, 
while  I  am  awake,  hardly  any  intermission ;  and  I  am 
obliged  to  make  my  nights  short,  with  all  which  pre 
cautions  I  am  hardly  able  to  answer  the  demands  of 
service  that  lie  upon  me." 

We  are  told  by  his  biographer,  that  he  reckoned 
the  smallest  parcels  of  time  precious,  and  was  eager 
to  save  every  moment,  even  while  he  was  waiting  for 
dinner,  company,  or  the  assembling  of  his  pupils,  that 
he  might  make  some  advance  in  the  work  he  was 
about;  that  he  was  so  solicitous  to  improve  every 
moment  that  one  of  his  pupils  generally  read  to  him 
while  he  was  shaving  and  dressing,  during  which  short 
intervals  he  was  improving  himself  and  them  by  re 
marking  upon  their  manner  of  reading,  and  upon  the 
excellences  or  defects  of  sentiment  and  language  in 
the  book  read ;  that  when  he  was  on  a  journey,  or 
occasional  visits  to  his  friends,  where  he  spent  the 
night,  he  took  his  papers  with  him,  and  employed  all 
the  time  he  could  secure,  especially  his  morning  hours, 
in  prosecuting  some  good  work  for  his  people,  his 
students,  or  the  world.  While  preparing  his  "  Fami 
ly  Expositor/7  he  wrote  something  for  it  every  day: 
nor  amid  the  constant  labors  of  authorship  for  many 
years  did  he  neglect  the  service  of  his  students.  "  So 
far,"  says  he,  "  as  I  can  recollect,  I  never  omitted  a 
single  lecture  on  account  of  any  of  the  books  that  I 
have  published.  The  truth  is,  I  do  a  little  now  and 
then;  something  every  day,  and  that  carries  me  on. 
I  have  written  some  of  my  pieces  in  shorthand,  and 


HIS  PROMINENT  TRAITS.  389 

got  them  transcribed  by  my  pupils,  and  thus  I  do  by 
many  letters.  This  is  a  help  to  me,  and  some  con 
siderable  advantage  to  those  whom  I  employ.  I 
scarcely  fail  being  in  the  lecture-room  three  hours 
every  morning.'7  He  often  preached  several  evenings 
in  the  week  in  the  different  villages  about  Northamp 
ton.  His  annual  vacation,  of  two  months,  was  usually 
passed,  partly  in  close  study,  in  pastoral  visits,  and  in 
preaching  among  neighboring  congregations  at  the 
request  of  their  respective  pastors,  some  of  them  being 
of  different  denominations  and  opinions  from  himself; 
partly  in  calling  upon  his  friends  in  London  and  other 
parts  of  the  kingdom  for  purposes  of  health,  yet  fre 
quently  preaching  almost  every  day. 

To  these  occupations  must  be  added  his  corre 
spondence,  which  was  almost  sufficient  of  itself  to 
engross  the  time  of  a  man  of  ordinary  industry  and 
ability;  hence,  to  save  time,  he  often  employed  the 
pen  of  some  pupil,  to  whom  he  dictated  his  letters, 
while  he  himself  at  the  same  time  went  on  with  other 
work.  Sometimes  a  student  read  to  him,  while  he 
was  himself  answering  his  correspondents.  Corre 
spondence  was  held  not  only  with  parents  and  guar 
dians  of  his  students,  but  with  ministers,  who  often 
consulted  him  on  questions  of  great  moment,  and  ap 
plied  for  counsel ;  with  learned  men,  desiring  his 
opinion  concerning  critical  difficulties,  or  works  they 
were  preparing  for  the  press ;  with  distinguished  cler 
gymen  and  laymen  of  the  established  church,  often  on 
questions  of  great  delicacy  and  importance ;  with  for 
eign  gentlemen  and  theologians,  with  whom  he  was 
obliged  to  correspond  in  Latin  and  French.  Many 


890  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

hundred  letters  were  received  and  answered  in  the 
course  of  a  year.  But  he  dispatched  business  with 
great  facility.  The  contents  of  a  book  he  rapidly 
possessed  himself  of,  and  so  also  his  own  thoughts 
were  rapidly  and  clearly  expressed  even  on  the  most 
abstruse  points  of  inquiry. 

It  is  surprising  that  his  originally  feeble  constitu 
tion  was  adequate  to  such  incessant  application,  and 
to  so  many  engrossing  forms  of  business.  Recreation 
he  did  not  seek,  for  useful  mental  toil  was  to  him  the 
highest  pleasure.  Doing  nothing  was  to  him  fatiguing. 
He  acted  on  the  principle,  and  inculcated  the  same 
upon  his  students,  that  the  best  sort  of  relaxation  was 
a  change  from  one  work  to  another.  When  an  anx 
ious  friend  advised  him  to  preach  less  frequently,  and 
to  labor  less  assiduously,  he  replied,  "Be  in  no  pain 
about  me.  I  hope  that  we  have  the  presence  of  God 
among  us,  and  that  he  is  bearing  testimony  to  the 
word  of  his  grace.  I  take  all  the  care  of  my  health 
which  is  consistent  with  doing  the  proper  duties  of 
life;  and  when  I  find  myself  refreshed  rather  than 
fatigued  with  these  attempts  of  service,  I  cannot  think 
myself  fairly  discharged  from  continuing  them."  To 
another  friend  he  offered  a  similar  justification  of  his 
laborious  manner  of  living :  "  I  am  indeed  subject  to 
a  little  cough,  but  I  never  preached  with  more  free 
dom  or  pleasure.  I  am  generally  employed,  with  very 
short  intervals,  from  morning  to  night,  and  have  sel 
dom  more  than  six  hours  in  bed ;  yet  such  is  the  good 
ness  of  God  to  me,  that  I  seldom  know  what  it  is  to 
be  weary.  I  hope  my  labors  are  not  in  vain.  This 
animates  me  in  my  labors." 


HIS  PROMINENT  TRAITS.  391 

II.  DR.  DODDRIDGE  WAS  DISTINGUISHED  BY  A  SPIRIT 
OF  CANDOR  AND  KINDNESS  TOWARDS  THOSE  WHO  DIF 
FERED  FROM  HIM  IN  SENTIMENT,  OR  IN  ECCLESIASTICAL 
CONNECTION. 

His  mind,  at  an  early  period  of  his  theological 
studies,  was  earnestly  engaged  in  the  examination  of 
the  controversy  between  the  established  church  and 
the  dissenters,  that  he  might  form  an  intelligent  and 
settled  opinion.  He  was  not  one  of  those  who  claim 
exclusively  for  themselves  and  their  denomination, 
all  the  truth  and  all  the  excellence  that  is  to  be  found, 
and  deny  these  to  others,  though  he  preferred  and  con 
scientiously  supported  the  principles  and  institutions 
of  the  churches  with  which  he  stood  connected. 

His  candor  and  liberality  towards  his  Protestant 
brethren  did  not  blind  him  to  the  errors  of  popery, 
nor  prevent  his  entertaining  an  abhorrence  of  its  per 
secuting  spirit.  This  may  be  seen  in  his  "Family 
Expositor;"  and  is  earnestly  set  forth  in  a  sermon 
which  he  published,  and  which  has  been  much  admir 
ed,  on  "  The  Absurdity  and  Iniquity  of  Persecution 
for  Conscience'  Sake,  in  all  its  Kinds  and  Degrees." 
In  one  of  his  sermons  against  popery  he  thus  eloquent 
ly  shows  the  reasonableness  and  duty  of  the  separa 
tion  from  the  church  of  Rome : 

"  My  brethren,  pardon  the  freedom  of  my  speech. 
I  should  have  thought  it  my  duty  to  separate  from  the 
church  of  Rome,  had  she  pretended  only  to  determine 
those  things  which  Christ  has  left  indifferent;  how 
much  more,  when  she  requires  a  compliance  with  those 
which  he  hath  expressly  forbid.  When  she  hath  the 
insolence  to  say,  You  shall  not  only  confine  yourself 


392  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

to  a  prescribed  form  of  words,  but  you  shall  worship 
in  an  unknown  tongue ;  you  shall  not  only  bow  at  the 
venerable  name  of  our  common  Lord,  but  you  shall 
worship  an  image;  you  shall  not  only  kneel  at  the 
communion,  but  kneel  in  adoration  of  a  piece  of 
bread ;  you  shall  not  only  pronounce,  or  at  least  ap 
pear  to  pronounce  those  accursed  who  do  not  believe 
what  is  acknowledged  to  be  incomprehensible,  but 
those  who  do  not  believe  what  is  most  contrary  to 
our  reason  and  senses:  when  these  are  the  terms  of 
our  continued  communion — when  they  require  us  to 
purchase  our  peace  by  violating  our  consciences  and 
endangering  our  souls,  it  is  no  wonder  that  we  escape 
as  for  our  lives,  retiring  not  from  an  inconvenient 
lodging  where  we  are  straitened  for  want  of  room, 
but  from  a  ruinous  house  where  we  are  in  danger  of 
being  crushed  to  pieces;  or  rather,  we  retire  with 
indignation  and  horror,  as  from  a  den  of  thieves, 
where  we  must  be  either  the  associates,  or  the  sacri 
fices  of  their  wickedness.  And  to  all  their  terrors 
and  threatenings  we  oppose  the  awful  voice  of  God : 
*  Come  out  of  her,  my  people,  that  ye  be  not  partakers 
of  her  sins,  and  that  ye  receive  not  of  her  plagues ;  for 
her  sins  have  reached  unto  heaven,  and  God  hath 
remembered  her  iniquities.'  Rev.  18:4,  5." 

III.  THE  GOOD  INFLUENCE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE  WAS 

WIDELY  EXERTED  BEYOND  THE  LIMITS  OF  HIS  OWN  CON 
GREGATION  AND  PLACE  OF  RESIDENCE. 

His  influence  over  his  students,  and  over  his  con 
gregation,  has  been  illustrated  at  sufficient  length.  He 
labored  besides  to  promote  the  usefulness  of  others, 


HIS  PROMINENT  TRAITS.  393 

and  to  extend  in  every  practicable  way  the  kingdom 
of  the  Redeemer.  He  was  intent  upon  employing 
every  opportunity,  by  conversation,  by  his  letters,  and 
by  preaching,  to  promote  the  conversion  of  sinners, 
and  to  excite  his  brethren  to  benevolent  action.  His 
correspondence  shows  the  deep  interest  he  often  took 
in  the  spiritual  welfare  of  condemned  malefactors  in 
the  prison  at  Northampton.  He  lost  no  opportunity, 
when  attending  the  meetings  of  ministers,  to  endeavor 
to  infuse  into  their  hearts  greater  zeal  in  prosecuting 
the  noble  work  to  which  they  should  be  devoted.  At 
such  meetings,  which  he  generally  attended  notwith 
standing  his  multiplied  engagements,  he  did  not  de 
cline  a  participation  in  the  appointed  services,  but 
cheerfully  contributed  his  aid  to  make  them  attractive 
and  eminently  profitable. 

His  heart  was  much  interested  in  the  effort  to  en 
gage  the  churches  in  the  work  of  the  foreign  propa 
gation  of  the  gospel,  and  also  in  enlightening  the 
darker  portions  of  Britain.  He  largely  contributed 
to  the  publication  of  religious  books  in  the  Welsh 
language,  and  to  the  operations  and  success  of  a  soci 
ety  in  Scotland  for  extending  religion  in  North  Amer 
ica.  Of  this  society  he  was  a  corresponding  member. 
Notice  has  been  already  taken  of  some  efforts  made 
by  him  to  forward  measures  for  evangelizing  the  In 
dians  of  this  country. 

It  seems  that  Dr.  Doddridge  may  fairly  be  said  to 
be  virtually  the  founder  of  Bible  societies,  and  thus 
the  fountain  of  one  of  the  most  valuable  streams  of 
Christian  beneficence.  His  correspondence  contains 
a  letter  addressed  to  him  by  Mr.  Benjamin  Fawcett  of 
17* 


394  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

London,  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Society  for  Promot 
ing  Religious  Knowledge  among  the  Poor,  by  distrib 
uting  Bibles,  Testaments,  and  various  other  religious 
books,  in  fact  the  British  Bible  Society  in  its  infancy. 
In  1751,  the  year  after  that  society  was  founded,  he 
wrote  to  Dr.  Doddridge,  "I  do  not  know,  dear  sir, 
whether  justice  does  not  oblige  me  to  inform  you  that 
if  the  world  receives  any  advantage  from  this  design, 
I  think,  under  God,  it  is  indebted  to  Dr.  Doddridge 
for  it,  as  the  sacred  fervor  which  animated  your  ad 
dresses  from  the  pulpit,  when  last  in  town,  kindled  a 
spark  of  the  same  benevolence  to  the  souls  of  men, 
and  in  the  breast  of  one  who  could  no  longer  retain 
his  desires  of  usefulness  within  the  compass  of  his  own 
small  abilities,  without  exciting  others  to  the  same 
views." 

It  was  the  special  design  of  this  society  to  send 
books  to  such  ministers  and  gentlemen  in  the  country 
as  were  disposed  faithfully  to  distribute  them  among 
the  destitute,  and  to  make  a  report  of  such  distribu 
tion.  The  society  was  supported  by  quarterly  sub 
scriptions  from  the  members,  and  other  well-disposed 
Christians. 

Dr.  Doddridge  deserves  the  credit  also  of  having 
originated,  in  1741,  the  first  Congregational  Missionary 
Association  in  Great  Britain.  We  have  already  re 
ferred  to  his  sermon  before  the  Norfolk  and  Suffolk 
ministers  on  "The  Evil  and  Dangers  of  neglecting  the 
Souls  of  Men." 

One  who  was  present  at  the  delivery  of  the  dis 
course,  observes,  "  It  was  a  remarkable  day  indeed, 
when  the  presence  of  God  filled  our  assembly;  and 


HIS  PROMINENT  TRAITS.  395 

not  myself  only,  but  many  others  have  with  pleasure 
owned  it  was  one  of  the  best  days  of  our  lives.  Though 
the  season  was  hot,  the  auditory  very  much  crowded, 
and  between  four  and  five  hours  spent  in  the  public 
worship,  none  thought  the  hours  tedious,  or  wished 
for  a  dismission." 

Having  a  large  Christian  heart,  he  was  disposed 
to  look  with  a  benignant  eye  upon  all  who  seemed  to 
be  engaged  in  promoting  the  Redeemer's  kingdom, 
even  though  in  some  points  of  doctrine,  in  some  modes 
of  useful  endeavor,  and  in  some  peculiarities  of  church 
polity,  they  might  not  be  such  as  he  preferred.  Hence 
he  not  only,  in  one  of  his  visits  to  London,  prayed  in 
the  Tabernacle  pulpit  for  Whitefield's  success,  but 
when  that  extraordinary  man  visited  the  neighbor 
hood  of  Northampton  to  see  his  old  friend  the  Rev. 
James  Hervey,  Doddridge  associated  with  him  at  the 
table  of  his  friends,  and  invited  him  into  his  pulpit. 
Nor  did  he  hesitate,  when  he  met  with  attacks  on  his 
character,  to  defend  both  his  doctrines  and  his  mo 
tives. 

We  may  now  turn  to  some  portions  of  the  corre 
spondence  which  illustrate  the  interest  he  felt  in  the 
benevolent  and  Christian  enterprises  of  the  celebrated 
Lady  HUNTINGTON,  one  of  the  chief  supporters  in 
England  of  the  remarkable  man  just  referred  to. 

Lady  Huntington  was  born  in  1707,  and  died  in 
1791.  She  was  remarkable  for  her  ardent  piety,  her 
self-sacrificing  benevolence,  and  her  conspicuous  en 
terprises  for  spreading  experimental  religion,  by  erect 
ing  chapels  and  sustaining  chaplains,  and  promoting 
missions  of  an  evangelical  character.  As  the  hour  of 


396  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

death  arrived,  she  exclaimed,  "My  work  is  done,  and 
I  have  nothing  to  do  but  to  go  to  my  Father."  She 
compared  her  decease,  when  at  hand,  to  the  putting 
off  of  her  cloak ;  and  when  she  had  the  rupture  of  a 
bloodvessel,  which  indicated  a  mortal  sickness,  and 
was  asked  about  her  condition,  she  replied,  "I  am 
well — all  is  well,  well  for  ever;  I  see,  wherever  I 
turn  my  eyes,  whether  I  live  or  die,  nothing  but  vic 
tory."  A  day  before  she  took  her  departure  to  the 
unseen  world,  she  remarked,  "My  soul  is  filled  with 
glory ;  I  am  in  the  element  of  heaven."  Her  grand 
maxim  of  life  was,  "  Do  that  which  is  best,  and  leave 
the  event  to  God." 

From  the  Countess  of  Huntington. 

"June,  1746. 

"So  surrounded  am  I  by  eyes  that  long  to  find  fault 
with  all  that  I  do,  that  it  makes  me  cautious  to  give 
no  offence,  either  to  Jew,  Gentile,  or  the  church  of 
God,  but  to  serve  all  men  to  their  good  and  edification, 
and  to  labor  with  the  remains  of  life  to  advance  our 
Lord  and  Saviour's  kingdom  upon  earth.  Do,  my 
friend,  try  to  look  out  for  me  for  this  purpose;  and  if 
you  know,  or  can  hear  of  any  man  so  qualified,  let  me 
know  from  you.  Could  I  explain  the  consequences 
of  this  matter  with  sufficient  strength,  I  am  sure  it 
would  move  so  warm  and  earnest  a  heart  as  yours  to 
the  most  active  trial.  May  heaven  assist  you." 

From  the  same. 

"February  23,  1747. 

"I  hope  you  will  comfort  me  by  all  the  accounts 
you  can  gather  of  the  flourishing  and  spreading  of  the 
glad  tidings.  Oh,  how  do  I  lament  the  weakness  of 


HIS  PROMINENT  TRAITS.  397 

my  hands,  the  feebleness  of  iny  knees,  and  coldness  of 
my  heart;  I  want  it  on  fire  always,  not  for  self-delight, 
but  to  spread  the  gospel  from  pole  to  pole.  Pray  for 
me,  my  very  excellent  friend,  and  cause  others  to  dcx 
so.  I  dread  slack  hands  in  the  vineyard ;  we  must  be 
all  up  and  doing :  the  Lord  is  at  hand,  and  let  us  not 
lose  the  things  we  have  wrought,  but  labor  and  ex 
hort  each  other  to  diligence  and  faithfulness.  Oh,  my 
friend,  we  shall  reap  plentifully,  if  we  faint  not.  Think 
ing  of  your  unwearied  labors  inspires  even  so  dead  a 
heart  as  mine  at  this  moment  with  great  earnestness ; 
I  want  words  to  tell  you  what  shall  be  your  reward. 
All  I  can  say  is,  it  is  not  less  than  infinite  bounty 
which  is  to  reward  you. 

"Mr.  Baddelly  has  just  concluded  a  most  faithful 
sermon  to  a  good  many  hungry  souls:  gospel,  every 
word  of  it ;  and  I  do  trust  the  words  were  clothed 
with  power,  and  have  reached  the  hearts  of  some,  so 
as  to  convert  them,  as  well  as  to  comfort  others." 

From  the  same. 

"March  15,  1747. 

"I  have  so  sincere  a  regard  for  you,  that  I  own  it 
would  flatter  me  to  have  you  think  it  long  since  you 
heard  from  me.  Company,  some  business,  and  my  weak 
body,  make  my  writing  often  to  be  attended  with  dif 
ficulty.  I  wished  much  to  have  been  earlier  in  my 
acknowledgment  of  your  last  than  usual,  as  it  gave 
not  only  all  that  spirit  of  Christian  friendship  that  I 
am  now  honored  by  from  you,  but  the  consolation  of 
assuring  me  you  have  hopes  of  finding  out  a  youth 
who  may  be  thought  worthy,  from  pious  disposition 
and  education,  for  the  ministry.  What  contribution 


398  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

will  be  wanting  from  me  towards  this  purpose,  I  beg 
you  will  let  me  know,  and  my  excellent  friend  may 
depend  upon  my  utmost  gratitude  for  this  high  honor 
conferred  upon  me.  I  feel  my  mite  is  cast  into  the 
treasury  of  God,  and  Oh,  inexpressible  consolation, 
that  he  in  his  love  is  sending  these  calls  to  poor,  vile, 
unworthy  me.  My  heart  wants  nothing  so  much  as 
to  dispense  all,  all  for  the  glory  of  Him  whom  my  soul 
loveth. 

"  Many  prophets  and  religious  men  have  desired 
to  see  these  days,  and  have  not  seen  them.  Great, 
great  is  the  power  of  the  Lord,  and  for  ever  glorified 
be  his  name.  Some  important  time  is  coming.  Oh, 
might  I  hope  it  is  that  time  when  all  things  shall  be 
swallowed  up  by  the  enlightening  and  comforting  dis 
plays  of  our  glorious  Redeemer's  kingdom  ;  when  love 
shall  be  the  burning  language  of  the  heart,  and  every 
soul  be  longing  for  the  moment  of  his  appearing.  My 
hopes  are  not  only  full  of  immortality,  but  of  this. 
Your  works  are  blessed,  and  God  is  making  you  a 
polished  shaft  in  his  quiver.  I  want  every  body  to 
pray  with  you,  and  for  you,  that  you  may  wax  stron 
ger  and  stronger.  I  have  had  a  letter  from  Lord  Bol- 
ingbroke,  who  says,  'I  desire  my  compliments  and 
thanks  to  Dr.  Doddridge,  and  I  hope  I  shall  continue 
to  deserve  his  good  opinion.' 

"I  have  this  day  received  a  fresh  mark  of  your 
unwearied  pains  and  thoughts  about  me.  I  often 
look  to  that  grave  which  promises  me  a  refuge  from 
an  evil  world,  and  a  yet  more  evil  heart;  but  how 
does  it  bound,  as  the  roe  or  hind  over  the  mountains, 
when  that  all-transporting  view  presents  itself — pre- 


HIS  PROMINENT  TRAITS.  399 

sents  an  eternity  of  joy  to  follow  this  glad  release 
from  time.  Death  is  called  a  monster,  a  king  of  ter 
rors,  but  as  Gabriel's  salutation  shall  my  soul  meet 
him ;  he  can  bring  no  other  message  to  the  redeemed 
in  Christ  but, '  Hail,  thou  that  art  highly  favored  of  the 
Lord.7  Oh,  glorious  Emmanuel,  how,  how  do  I  long 
for  that  immortal  voice  to  praise  thee  with ;  and  till 
then,  that  mortal  one  which  may  sound  through  earth 
thy  love  to  man. 

"My  kindest  service  to  Mrs.  Doddridge  and  your 
daughters.  Thank  them  a  thousand  times  for  their 
thoughts  about  me ;  and  live  assured  of  my  most  un 
feigned  esteem  and  highest  regard." 

From  the  same. 

"  BATH,  Nov.  8,  1747. 

"I  hope  you  will  never  care  for  the  ceremony  of 
time  in  your  letters  to  me;  they  will  always  oblige 
me,  but  most  when  attended  with  the  greatest  ease  to 
yourself;  as  we  both  agree  in  this  sentiment,  that  the 
one  thing  worth  living  for  must  be  the  proclaiming 
the  love  of  God  to  man  in  Christ  Jesus.  So  all  calls 
for  that  end  will  secure  my  approbation  for  your 
silence. 

"I  am  nothing;  Christ  is  all:  I  both  disclaim,  as 
well  as  disdain,  any  righteousness  but  his.  I  not  only 
rejoice  that  there  is  no  wisdom  for  his  people  but 
that  from  above,  but  reject  every  pretension  to  any  but 
what  comes  from  himself.  I  want  no  holiness  he  does 
not  give  me,  and  I  could  not  accept  a  heaven  he  does 
not  prepare  me  for.  I  can  wish  for  no  liberty  but 
what  he  likes  for  me,  and  I  am  satisfied  with  every 
misery  he  does  not  redeem  me  from ;  that  in  all  things 


400  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

1  may  feel  that  without  him  I  can  do  nothing.  To  sit 
at  his  feet  and  hearken  to  his  sayings,  is  an  honor 
worthy  of  Gabriel,  who  is  always  in  the  presence  of 
God.  To  behold  the  glory  of  such  a  Saviour,  even 
the  seraphs  might  veil  their  faces.  Such  love  and 
honor,  I  say,  as  tin's,  ought  to  make  us  breathe  his 
praises  from  pole  to  pole. 

"Many  are  our  enemies  ;  and  of  these,  not  only 
our  own  sins,  but  the  spirit  of  the  world  in  which 
dwells  nothing  but  wretchedness;  but  while  it  is 
through  his  love  that  we  are  to  conquer,  let  the  pa 
tience  of  his  saints  be  seen  in  us;  let  our  prayers  and 
labors  be  useful  in  obtaining  crowns  of  pure  gold  to 
be  placed  on  the  heads  of  our  most  cruel  foes  ;  that 
the  finite  evil  of  the  worst  may  serve  only  to  raise 
our  hearts  to  heaven  for  their  infinite  good.  Did  we 
enough  take  root  downwards,  we  should  bear  more  of 
this  fruit  upwards.  Humility  must  make  us  ascend 
by  the  fiery  chariot.  That  divine  object  whom  my 
soul  most  delights  in,  shows  me  my  lesson  in  these 
few  words :  'Learn  of  me,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly.'7' 

From  the  same. 

"  LONDON,  Jan.  3,  1748. 

"  Religion  was,  I  believe,  never  so  much  the  sub 
ject  of  conversation  as  now.  Some  of  the  great  of 
this  world  hear  with  me  the  gospel  patiently;  and 
thus  much  seed  is  sown  by  Mr.  Whitefield's  preach 
ing,  and,  I  need  not  tell  you,  some  of  the  best.  Oh 
that  it  may  fall  in  good  ground,  and  bring  forth  fruit 
abundantly. 

{kDo  not  let  your  hands  hang  down;  we  must 


HIS  PROMINENT  TRAITS.  401 

wrestle  for  ourselves,  and  for  all  dead  in  their  sins, 
till  the  day  break  and  the  shadows  of  time  flee  away." 

From  the  same. 

"  1750. 

"I  could  not  let  the  bearer  of  this  go  through 
Northampton  without  calling  and  returning  my  most 
grateful  acknowledgments  for  your  kind  and  obliging- 
letter.  May  the  God  of  grace  repay  all  those  senti 
ments  of  regard  for  me  ;  I  know  I  never  can.  Esteem 
you  very  highly,  I  think  I  must  do  while  I  live ;  and 
among  those  many  unworthy  offerings  to  heaven,  Oh 
that  the  divine  goodness  may  accept  but  one  petition 
that  may  reach  you,  and  then  how  greatly  will  he  hon 
or  me.  I  must  just  tell  you  that  I  have  had  two  large 
assemblies  at  my  house,  of  the  mighty,  the  wise,  and 
the  rich,  to  hear  the  gospel  by  Mr.  Whitefield  ;  and 
I  have  great  pleasure  in  telling  you  they  all  expressed' 
a  great  deal  in  hearing  him.  Sometimes  I  do  hope 
for  dear  Lord  Chesterfield  and  Lord  Bath,  Mr.  Stan 
hope,  and  one  of  the  privy  council  of  Denmark,  with  a 
great  many  ladies  and  people  of  fashion,  as  well  as  oi 
quality.  I  know  your  warm  heart  will  rejoice  at  thist 
and  your  prayers  will  help  with  ours  for  an  increase 
to  our  blessed  Lord's  kingdom,  even  among  these. 
The  person  that  brings  this,  I  think  you  will  like  to 
talk  with ;  he  has  charge  of  some  poor  schools  of  mine 
in  the  country,  and  is  a  most  worthy,  pious,  and  sen 
sible  man." 

Dr.  Doddridge  records  his  pleasure  in  making  Lady 
Huntington's  acquaintance,  in  securing  her  friendship, 
and  enjoying  an  occasional  interview.  On  one  occa 
sion  he  speaks  of  having  sent  a  person  to  her  relief 


402  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

under  an  apprehended  dangerous  illness,  and  adds, 
"  To  have  done  any  thing  towards  the  preserving  of 
that  angelic  life  would  be  one  of  the  greatest  felicities 
that  could  attend  mine."  At  the  close  of  the  year 
1750,  he  enumerates  among  its  mercies  the  preserva 
tion  of  her  growing  friendship. 

To  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Fawcett 

"  NORTHAMPTON,  June  26,  1750. 

"  I  am  this  day  forty-eight  years  old ;  but  Oh,  how 
unworthy  and  unprofitable  a  creature ! 

"  I  thank  you  for  yours,  and  bless  God  for  its  con 
tents.  Still  may  you  go  on  in  his  name  and  strength, 
conquering,  and  to  conquer.  I  approve  your  scheme 
as  to  Brainerd's  Life  and  Journal,  and  think  Mr.  Ash- 
worth  the  proper  person  to  execute  it.  I  rejoice  to 
hear  you  have  your  praying  society  for  the  purpose 
mentioned.  Surely,  if  we  can  believe,  we  shall  see 
the  salvation  of  God. 

"  I  am  sorry  for  any  abatement  in  your  well-earn 
ed  possessions ;  but  when  all  we  have  is  devoted  to 
the  Lord,  we  bear  losses  as  stewards  rather  than  as 
proprietors.  I  bless  God  this  earth  is  less  and  less 
to  me,  and  I  could  willingly  have  done  with  it,  should 
it  please  my  Master  to  give  me  leave.  Yet  for  him 
I  would  live  and  labor,  and  I  hope,  if  such  were  his 
will,  suffer  too. 

"  Lady  Huntington,  for  whom  I  desire  your  pray 
ers,  is  wonderfully  recovered.  She  walked  with  me 
in  the  garden  and  park,  and  almost  wearied  me,  such 
is  her  increase  of  strength ;  but  the  strength  of  her 
soul  is  amazing.  I  think  I  never  saw  so  much  of  the 
image  of  God  in  any  woman  upon  earth.  Were  I  to 


HIS  PROMINENT  TRAITS.  403 

write  what  I  know  of  her,  it  would  fill  your  heart 
with  wonder,  joy,  and  praise.  She  desired  me  to  edu 
cate  a  lad  for  the  dissenting  ministry  at  her  expense, 
till  he  be  fit  to  come  into  my  academy  on  an  exhibi 
tion  ;  and  this  is  but  one  of  a  multitude  of  good  works 
she  is  continually  performing.  I  must  tell  you,  how 
ever,  one  observation  of  hers  which  struck  me  much : 
*  None/  said  she,  '  know  how  to  prize  Christ,  but  those 
who  are  zealous  in  good  works.  Men  know  not  till 
they  try,  what  poor  imperfect  things  our  best  works 
are,  and  how  deficient  we  are  in  them ;  and  the  expe 
rience  of  that  sweetness  which  attends  their  perform 
ance,  makes  us  more  sensible  of  those  obligations  to 
Him  whose  grace  is  the  principle  of  them  in  our  hearts. 
She  has  God  dwelling  in  her,  and  she  is  ever  bearing 
her  testimony  to  the  present  salvation  he  has  given 
us,  and  to  the  fountain  of  living  waters  which  she 
feels  springing  up  in  her  soul ;  so  that  she  knows  the 
divine  original  of  the  promises  before  the  performance 
of  them  to  her,  as  she  knows  God  to  be  her  Creator 
by  the  life  he  has  given  her." 

Many  interesting  statements  might  here  be  added 
of  the  active  efforts  of  Dr.  Doddridge  in  behalf  of  the 
Moravian  brethren,  who  were  zealously  spreading  the 
gospel  in  various  parts  of  Europe,  and  whose  evangeli 
cal  labors  were  presented  to  him  and  the  English 
churches  by  Count  Zinzendorf;  and  of  his  efficient 
plans  and  exertions  in  aid  of  the  Protestants  of 
France. 

IY.  DR.  DODDRIDGE  WAS  DISTINGUISHED  BY  GREAT 

BENEVOLENCE,  COURTEOUSNESS,  AND  PUBLIC  SPIRIT. 


404  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

He  was  a  man  of  gentlemanly  disposition  and  man 
ners.  He  practised  with  great  ease  and  felicity  those 
forms  of  politeness  which  were  customary  among  well- 
educated  people.  His  deep  learning,  his  fondness  for 
books,  and  his  engrossing  professional  pursuits,  did 
riot  unfit  or  indispose  him  for  an  affable  deportment 
towards  any  who  interrupted  him,  even  the  poor  and 
illiterate  that  came  to  him  for  advice  and  instruction 
about  their  religious  interests  or  afflictions.  Not  only 
in  manners,  but  in  speech,  his  benevolence  was  uni 
formly  and  beautifully  manifested.  In  his  '  tongue 
was  the  law  of  kindness.7 

His  benevolence,  as  we  have  seen,  was  most  con 
stantly  and  industriously  exhibited  in  rendering  every 
service  in  his  power  to  the  souls  of  his  fellow-men ; 
but  it  led  him  in  like  manner  to  direct  his  attention 
to  their  bodily  wants,  and  to  expend  his  liberality  in 
furnishing  needful  supplies.  Indeed,  in  his  generous 
zeal  to  promote  the  temporal  welfare  of  the  destitute, 
he  was  perhaps  too  neglectful,  at  times,  of  the  claims 
of  his  own  family.  He  acted  on  his  great  Master's 
principle :  "  It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive." 
He  inquired  after  the  poor ;  he  preached  sermons  with 
a  view  to  secure  contributions  for  their  relief;  he 
wrote  letters,  and  held  conversation  with  the  benevo 
lent,  to  the  same  end.  And  what  he  thus  urged  oth 
ers  to  do,  he  exhibited  in  his  own  self-denying  exam 
ple.  He  urged  them  to  set  apart  a  liberal  portion  of 
their  income  to  beneficent  purposes,  and  to  regard  it 
as  devoted,  and  no  longer  their  own;  he  exhorted 
to  the  practice  of  economy  and  self-denial  in  expendi 
tures  upon  themselves,  that  they  might  enlarge  the 


HIS  PROMINENT  TRAITS.  405 

charitable  fund  at  their  command.  And  what  he 
preached  and  wrote  on  this  subject,  he  faithfully  prac 
tised  in  his  own  case.  On  one  occasion  he  wrote : 

"  I  have  this  day,  in  sweet  devotion,  made  a  vow 
that  I  would  consecrate  the  tenth  part  of  my  estate 
and  income  to  charitable  uses,  and  an  eighth  part  of 
all  that  shall  this  year  come  in  from  my  books  to 
occasional  contributions,  unless  any  circumstances 
arise  which  lead  me  to  believe  that  it  will  be  injuri 
ous  to  others  to  do  it." 

The  following  year,  in  his  general  resolutions,  he 
writes,  "  Having  fully  discharged  the  charitable  ac 
count  last  year,  I  renew  the  like  resolution  for  this ; 
and  desire  to  observe  how  God  prospers  me,  that  I 
may  give  in  proportion  to  it."  We  are  told  that  his 
accounts  showed  how  punctually  he  fulfilled  this  en 
gagement,  and  that  he  often  exceeded  it ;  so  that  con 
sidering  the  wants  of  his  family,  and  the  precarious- 
ness  of  a  large  portion  of  his  income,  his  liberality 
was  most  remarkable.  And  yet  he  indulges  in  lamen 
tations,  that,  although  he  never  in  youth  spent  money 
for  unnecessary  articles,  he  might  yet  perhaps  have 
been  somewhat  more  frugal  than  he  had  been,  and 
thus  have  saved  something  more  for  benevolent  uses. 

Besides  contributing  money  to  the  poor,  he  expend 
ed  much  in  the  hospitalities  of  his  own  house,  upon 
his  brethren  and  friends,  and  especially  his  former 
students,  who  were  always  welcome.  In  his  last  will, 
having  bequeathed  a  considerable  legacy  to  poor 
Christians  belonging  to  his  congregation,  he  adds, 
"I  have  thought  it  my  duty  to  lay  up  but  very  little 
for  my  own  children,  while  I  have  seen  so  many  of 


PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

the  children  of  God,  and  some  of  them  most  excellent 
persons,  in  necessity."  He  remembered  his  family 
servants  also,  besides  several  of  his  clerical  and  other 
friends,  in  the  gifts  assigned  to  them.  Thus,  not  only 
while  living,  but  after  death,  the  effects  of  his  benevo 
lence  were  largely  distributed. 

Confiding  in  his  integrity  and  prudence,  and  aware 
of  his  benevolent  temper,  persons  of  wealth  often  en 
trusted  to  him  sums  of  money  to  be  distributed  accord 
ing  to  his  discretion,  among  objects  that  seemed  to 
him  deserving  of  aid.  He  was  among  the  most  active 
in  establishing  a  county  hospital  at  Northampton, 
contributing  not  money  only,  but  time,  and  public 
discourses  in  the  advocacy  of  its  claims  to  public 
patronage.  He  took  especial  pleasure  in  carrying 
out  one  peculiarity  in  the  management  of  the  hospital, 
a  most  earnest  attention  to  the  spiritual  wants  of  those 
who  were  its  inmates. 

Here  may  be  advantageously  introduced  an  inci 
dent  which  illustrates  his  character.  A  public  dinner, 
under  the  patronage  of  the  Earl  of  Halifax,  was  given 
for  the  purpose  of  drawing  together,  at  the  outset,  the 
friends  of  the  institution.  In  the  progress  of  the  fes 
tivities  of  the  evening,  an  unbecoming  toast  was  pro 
posed  and  drank  by  some  persons  who  afterwards 
regretted  the  act.  But  Dr.  Doddridge  immediately 
arose,  and  handing  to  a  writer  a  guinea  to  defray  his 
share  in  the  extra  expenses  of  the  occasion,  left  the 
room.  Lord  Halifax,  observing  the  transaction,  with 
equal  delicacy  and  good  sense,  remarked,  "  There 
goes  a  gentleman  and  a  Christian." 

As  another  illustration  of  his  public  spirit,  may  be 


HIS  PEOMINENT  TRAITS.  407 

mentioned  his  supporting  the  administration  of  his 
country  and  his  king  during  the  rebellion  of  1745. 
He  was  a  loyal  and  patriotic  subject,  and  at  that 
period  exerted  no  small  influence  among  the  great 
and  the  people  generally  in  opposing  the  rebellion. 
To  this  end  he  corresponded  and  conferred  with  the 
Earl  of  Halifax,  with  whose  excellence  of  character 
he  was  greatly  charmed. 

Besides  the  county  hospital,  a  charity  school,  as 
we  have  already  noticed,  was  established  at  North 
ampton  through  the  agency  of  Dr.  Doddridge,  who 
also  contributed  regularly  to  its  support,  and  super 
intended  and  assisted  the  instruction  of  the  students. 
In  his  own  academy  also  he  educated  without  charge 
a  number  of  young  men  for  the  Christian  ministry, 
and  had  the  happiness  to  see  them  enter  on  their  work 
with  proper  qualifications,  and  pursue  it  with  great 
credit  to  themselves,  and  ardent  gratitude  to  him  for 
his  liberal  care  and  pious  culture. 

The  benevolence  of  his  heart  appeared  perhaps  in 
no  direction  to  better  advantage,  than  in  the  tender 
sympathy  and  condolence  with  which  he  met  his 
friends,  or  strangers,  in  seasons  of  adversity  and  sor 
row.  Many  of  his  letters  might  here  be  introduced, 
in  illustration  of  this  particular  trait  of  his  amiable 
character. 

V.  THE  EXEMPLARY  CONDUCT  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE 
UNDER  ILL  TREATMENT,  IS  DESERVING  OF  REMARK,  AND 
OF  ADMIRATION. 

His  benevolence  did  not  desert  him  amid  the  mani 
fold  trials  which  he  experienced  at  the  hands  of  un- 


408  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

just  men.  It  is  strange  that  a  man  of  such  amiable 
character,  inoffensive  habits,  and  gentlemanly  bear 
ing,  should  have  been  assailed  and  injured ;  but  so  it 
happened.  From  the  deriders  of  Christianity  he  re 
ceived  injurious  treatment,  in  consequence  of  the  bold 
ness  and  ability  that  characterized  his  published  vin 
dications  of  it.  The  strongest  acrimony  of  feeling 
and  of  censure  was  directed  against  him  by  some  even 
of  his  ministerial  brethren,  partly,  it  is  thought, 
through  envy  of  the  reputation  which  his  uncommon 
diligence  and  activity  procured  for  him,  and  which 
they  were  unwilling  to  be  at  the  pains  of  imitating; 
and  especially  because  he  declined  being  a  party  man. 
The  moderation  which  he  possessed  in  an  eminent  de 
gree,  was  regarded  as  a  great  fault,  and  his  unwilling 
ness  to  adopt  and  defend  all  the  notions  of  any  par 
ticular  party,  exposed  him  naturally  to  the  censure  of 
opposing  parties.  As  Pope  expressed  the  fact,  "  He 
found  by  dear  experience  that  he  lived  in  an  age  in 
which  it  was  criminal  to  be  moderate.  Some  consid 
ered  him  too  strict  in  his  opinions ;  others  censured 
him  as  too  loose." 

It  was  the  aim  of  this  candid  and  good  man  to 
exhibit  the  character  which  his  friend  Dr.  Isaac  Watts 
had  drawn  in  the  following  terms :  "  When  any  sect 
of  Christians  seems  to  be  carried  away  with  the  furi 
ous  torrent  of  some  prevailing  notions  or  some  un 
necessary  practices,  some  special  superstition  or  a  con 
tentious  spirit,  the  moderate  man  tries  to  show  how 
mucfr  of  truth  and  goodness  may  be  found  among  each 
party,  where  all  agree  to  hold  Christ  Jesus  the  head ;  . 
though  he  dares  not  renounce  a  grain  of  truth  or 


HIS  PROMINENT  TRAITS.  409 

necessary  duty  for  the  sake  of  peace,  and  he  would 
'contend  earnestly'  where  Providence  calls  him,  for 
the  essential  articles  of  'faith'  which  were  'once  deliv 
ered  to  the  saints.'  For  his  great  regard  to  the  pecul 
iar  doctrines  of  the  gospel  in  his  preaching  and  writ 
ings,  he  suffered  censure ;  and  we  are  told  that  neither 
his  moderation,  and  other  personal  virtues,  nor  his 
zeal  for  the  service  of  the  common  cause  of  Christians, 
Protestant  or  dissenters,  could  shelter  him  from  the 
contempt  and  reproaches  of  some  angry  people,  who, 
amid  all  their  professions  of  the  most  unbounded 
charity,  thought  his  an  excepted  case,  or  chose  rather 
to  be  injurious  to  him  than  consistent  with  them 
selves."  Mr.  Orton  informs  us  that  many  instances 
might  be  mentioned  in  which  he  was  treated  in  this 
manner. 

A  friend  having  told  him  that  he  had  been  charged 
with  insincerity,  especially  in  using  some  particular 
phrases,  in  his  writings,  in  a  sense  different  from  that 
in  which  he  himself  understood  them,  in  order  to 
please  a  party,  he  nobly  defended  himself  against  the 
imputation,  in  the  following  language : 

"  My  conscience  doth  not  tell  me  that  I  am  at  all 
to  blame  on  the  head  you  mention.  I  write  for  the 
public,  as  I  would  also  do  in  every  private  correspon 
dence,  as  in  the  presence  of  God,  and  in  the  view  of 
his  judgment.  I  would  not  purchase  that  phantom 
popularity,  which  is  often  owing  to  the  very  worst 
part  of  a  man's  character  or  performances,  by  any 
compliances  beneath  the  dignity  of  a  Christian  minis 
ter,  an  office  of  which  I  think  so  highly,  as  to  be  deep 
ly  sensible  how  unworthy  I  am  to  bear  it.  On  the 

••MTU*..  18 


410  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

other  hand,  I  do  indeed  desire  to  give  as  little  offence 
as  I  honestly  can,  and  I  have  high  authorities  for  it.77 
To  another  friend  he  writes,  "  The  reflections 
which  have  been  thrown  upon  me  as  a  double-dealer 
and  an  inconsistent  man,  have  often  put  me  upon  sub 
mitting  myself  to  the  scrutiny  of  the  all-searching  eye ; 
and  in  my  most  serious  moments  I  have,  I  thank  God, 
a  constant  sense  of  the  uprightness  of  my  heart  before 
him.  Religion  is  with  me  an  inward  thing.  My 
views  of  the  same  person,  and  of  the  same  things,  may 
have  altered ;  but  upon  the  whole,  I  have  given  but 
very  little  cause  for  the  reflections  which  have  been 
cast  upon  me,  nor  have  I  ever,  in  any  instance  that  I 
know  of,  acted  a  part  which  my  conscience  hath  con 
demned  as  insincere ;  but  I  may,  through  an  excessive 
tenderness  of  displeasing,  have  left  men  of  different 
opinions  more  room  to  think  me  of  their  sentiments 
by  my  not  opposing  them,  than  I  ought  to  have  done. 
I  may,  likewise,  in-  many  instances,  have  seen  things 
not  to  be  inconsistent,  which  warm  men  on  one  side  of 
the  question,  and  on  the  other,  have  thought  to  be  so  ; 
and  it  is  possible,  too,  that  in  some  of  those  cases,  they 
may  have  thought  aright,  though  I  believe  in  more 
they  have  been  on  both  sides  wrong.  I  may  have  had 
more  real  esteem  and  love  for  persons  in  very  differ 
ent  views  and  interests  than  they,  knowing  the  nar 
rowness  of  their  own  hearts  in  these  instances,  could 
easily  imagine  to  be  sincere.  Besides  all  which,  a 
disposition  to  use  some  forms  of  complimental  expres 
sion,  especially  in  early  life,  and  to  tell  persons  the 
good  things  I  thought  of  them  and  their  performances, 
may  have  exposed  me  to  censure;  though  I  may 


HIS  PROMINENT  TRAITS.  411 

truly  say  I  have  always  inwardly  thought  what  I  said, 
for  my  mind  has  never  been  in  such  a  state,  but  that 
I  must  have  felt  a  sensible  and  memorable  horror  for 
doing  otherwise.  These  things  may  have  given  ad 
vantages  against  me ;  and  they  may  perhaps  be  per 
mitted,  that  I  may  not  be  too  much  exalted  by  the 
unreasonable  and  extravagant  applauses  I  have  some 
times  met  with.  I  have  a  persuasion  in  my  heart  that 
if  God  continue  my  life  for  a  few  years,  many  of  these 
things  will  die.  I  shall  be  made  more  cautious  by 
them,  and  more  humbly  seek  that  wisdom  from  God 
which  is  necessary  to  cut  off  occasion  from  some  who 
seek  it.  I  shall  also,  while  they  continue,  have  oppor 
tunities  of  exercising  several  graces  of  the  Christian 
temper,  which,  though  concealed  from  human  eyes, 
have  their  value  in  the  sight  of  God.  And  I  may  be 
made  more  desirous  of  leaving  a  world  where  I  meet 
with  unkindness,  for  that  where  love  will  be  perfect 
ed." 

Much  more  does  he  write  in  the  same  Christian 
spirit. 

To  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Fawcett. 

"  NOETHAMPTON,  Dec.  30,  1742. 

"We  must  become  as  little  children;  willing  to 
be  taken  up  and  laid  down,  carried  out,  and  brought 
in,  fed  and  corrected,  as  our  heavenly  Father  pleases ; 
and  the  less  we  have  of  our  own,  for  any  thing  but  to 
please  him,  the  more  comfort  shall  we  find  in  ourselves, 
under  whatever  circumstances  he  is  pleased  to  allot  to 
us.  Self-denial  and  mortification,  in  giving  up  our 
own  schemes,  and  in  being  sometimes  censured  and 
condemned  even  for  things  in  themselves  right,  and 


412  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

in  the  circumstances  in  which  they  were  done  most 
requisite,  is  a  very  wholesome  kind  of  discipline ;  and 
though  it  be  somewhat  distasteful,  the  soul  often 
thrives  by  it;  as  I  trust  I  have  in  many  instances 
found. 

"  Some  disaffected  persons  have  raised  such  a 
clamor  and  odium  against  me,  that  I  am  almost  ready 
to  think  there  are  in  England  congregations  that 
would  rather  have  a  very  indifferent  minister  from 
other  hands  than  a  very  good  one  from  mine.  But  I 
fear  there  are  others  that  are  ready  to  go  almost  as 
far  in  the  other  extreme.  The  truth  of  the  matter  is, 
I  am  a  poor,  weak,  sinful  creature,  but  one  who  sin 
cerely  believes  the  gospel,  and  who  desires  to  spread 
the  savor  of  it,  were  it  possible,  all  over  the  world, 
and  to  enthrone  its  power  in  every  bosom,  that  all 
hearts  might  grow  humble,  benevolent,  and  upright; 
and  who  heartily  wishes  that  every  thing  opposite  to 
its  spirit  may  fall,  not  by  violence,  nor  human  power, 
but  by  the  gentle  ministration  of  the  divine  influence. 

"  Nor  am  I  concerned  any  further  than  the  honor 
of  my  Master  is  interested,  whether  I  go  through  evil 
or  good  report.  If  any  think  me  a  deceiver,  my  God 
knows  that  I  am  true;  and  if  any  wish  that  I  were 
unknown,  I  bless  him  I  have  reason  to  believe  that  I 
am  well  known  to  not  a  few,  by  tokens  which  will 
never  be  forgotten." 

We  learn  also  that  Dr.  Doddridge  received  very 
unjust  and  unkind  treatment  from  a  few  unworthy 
students,  some  of  whom,  for  vicious  conduct,  he  had 
been  obliged  to  expel ;  and  others  of  whom,  who  had 
received  license  to  preach,  he  could  not  conscientious- 


HIS  PROMINENT  TRAITS.  413 

ly  recommend  to  the  places  they  sought,  as  either  not 
having  given  sufficient  evidence  of  piety,  or  as  having 
embraced  tenets  which  rendered  them  unacceptable  to 
most  dissenting  churches.  By  such  persons,  in  the 
spirit  of  revenge,  his  character  and  motives  were 
greatly  misrepresented.  "  But,"  he  remarks,  "  this  is 
my  comfort,  that  the  most  of  those  who  have  been  my 
pupils,  are  my  cordial  and  affectionate  friends;  and 
I  find  the  tenderest  and  most  grateful  friendship 
from  those  now  under  my  care.  The  longer  I  live 
the  less  I  am  inclined  to  enter  into  debates  which  I 
have  neither  time  nor  heart  for;  and  perhaps  have 
been  too  indolent  in  tracing  out  injurious  reports,  and 
too  dilatory  in  making  remonstrances  for  ill  usage. 
I  have  generally  chosen  the  shorter  way,  heartily  to 
forgive  and  pray  for  those  from  whom  I  have  received 
the  most  injurious  treatment,  and  to  endeavor  to  live 
in  such  a  manner,  that  they  who  intimately  know  me 
may  not  lightly  believe  rumors  to  my  disadvantage.77 
Mr.  Or  ton  says  that  several  of  the  students  who 
had  thus  caused  pain  to  their  amiable  and  devoted 
instructor,  deeply  repented  of  it  afterwards:  one  of 
them  particularly,  a  little  before  his  death,  wrote  his 
tutor  a  most  pathetic  and  friendly  letter,  in  which  he 
largely  confessed  his  own  guilt;  laid  open  to  him 
many  of  the  sly  acts  which  had  been  used  to  hurt  his 
character ;  and  with  all  the  marks  of  humility,  peni 
tence,  and  affection,  earnestly  desired  his  forgiveness 
and  his  prayers.  Dr.  Doddridge  nobly  practised  the 
advice  which  he  gives  in  his  "  Rise  and  Progress,"  to 
those  who  are  suffering  unjustly.  He  did  not  permit 
himself  to  be  interrupted  in  his  generous  worthy  course 


414  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

by  the  little  attacks  which  he  met  with.  He  was  still 
attentive  to  the  general  good,  and  steadily  resolute  in 
his  endeavors  to  promote  it ;  and  he  left  it  to  Provi 
dence  to  guard  or  to  rescue  his  character  from  assaults 
which — he  had  observed  and  experienced — will  often, 
without  a  person's  labor,  confute  themselves,  and  heap 
upon  the  authors  greater  shame,  or,  if  they  are  inac 
cessible  to  that,  greater  infamy  than  his  humanity 
would  allow  him  to  wish  them. 

VI.  DR.  DODDRIDGE,  NOTWITHSTANDING  HIS  LEARN 
ING,  GIFTS,  POPULARITY,  AND  SUCCESS,  WAS  A  MAN  OF 
REMARKABLE  HUMILITY,  AND  DEEPLY  FELT  HIS  DEPEND 
ENCE  ON  THE  GRACE  OF  GOD. 

He  was  by  no  means  indifferent  to  the  esteem  of 
his  fellow-men,  but  greatly  valued  it,  chiefly  because 
it  was  necessary  as  a  means  of  his  highest  usefulness 
to  them.  He  sought  their  favorable  regard,  however, 
not  by  disparaging  the  reputation  of  others,  nor  by 
mean  compliances  and  unworthy  acts,  but  by  the  affa 
bility  of  his  manners,  the  solid  worth  of  his  perform 
ances,  and  his  earnest  endeavors  to  promote  their  high 
est  welfare.  Mr.  Orton,  who  had  access  to  all  his 
private  papers,  and  the  best  opportunities  to  learn  his 
true  character,  affirms,  "  I  am  fully  persuaded  that  the 
grand  and  growing  principles  on  which  he  acted  were 
those  of  the  noblest  kind ;  and  that  no  desire  of  popu 
larity  or  applause  could  influence  him  in  any  case  in 
which  he  thought  the  interests  of  truth  or  religion  con 
cerned.  These  he  always  held  sacred ;  and  compared 
with  these,  he  considered  even  reputation  and  esteem 
as  of  no  account.  From  his  private  papers  it  is  evident 


HIS  PROMINENT  TRAITS.  415 

that  the  esteem  of  the  world,  instead  of  elating  his 
mind,  produced  deeper  humiliation  before  God,  and 
higher  admiration  of  divine  favor  and  grace  manifest 
ed  to  him." 

Dr.  Doddridge  entertained  a  deep  consciousness  of 
his  entire  dependence  on  Divine  aid  to  enable  him  to 
perform  his  manifold  duties  in  an  appropriate  and 
efficient  manner.  To  God  alone,  in  connection  with 
his  own  untiring  industry,  and  severe  application  of 
mind  and  body,  he  looked  for  success ;  and  to  God  he 
made  his  daily  offering  of  grateful  praise  for  any 
measure  of  success  attained.  His  position  being  one 
of  no  ordinary  difficulty,  he  thus  expresses  the  sense 
which  he  cherished  of  his  own  incompetency : 

"  I  hope  I  can  truly  say  that  God  is  exciting  in  my 
heart  some  growing  zeal  for  his  service,  both  as  a 
minister  and  a  tutor ;  but  really  a  sense  of  the  vast 
weight  of  these  offices,  when  united,  is  sometimes  more 
than  I  know  how  to  bear.  It  is  of  such  infinite  im 
portance  that  young  ministers  come  out  in  the  spirit 
of  the  gospel,  which  is  humility,  simplicity,  love,  zeal, 
devotion,  and  diligence,  in  a  degree  far  beyond  what 
is  commonly  seen ;  and  it  is  so  difficult  to  bring  them 
to  it,  and  keep  them  in  it,  through  the  pride  and  folly 
of  the  human  heart,  that  sometimes  I  am  almost  ready 
to  sink  under  the  discouraging  scene.  I  hope  God 
will  keep  me  under  a  constant  sense  of  my  own  im 
perfections;  and  if  he  calls  me  out  to  any  particular 
services,  show  his  strength  in  my  weakness,  and  his 
grace  in  my  unworthiness.  I  know  that,  with  regard 
to  academical  and  ministerial  labors,  all  depends  on 
the  increase  which  God  is  pleased  to  give.  He  has 


416  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

taught  me  this  by  briars  and  thorns,  though  I  thought 
I  was  sensible  of  it  before.  He  has  showed  me,  by 
some  painful  instances,  how  precarious  the  most  prom 
ising  hopes  are ;  that  I  may  trust,  not  in  myself,  nor 
in  man,  but  in  his  grace  in  Christ  Jesus,  on  which  I 
desire  to  live  more  and  more  myself,  and  to  which  I 
would  daily  recommend  my  pupils,  my  children,  and 
all  my  friends." 

Cherishing  thus  a  humble  opinion  of  himself,  he 
was  ready  to  put  a  favorable  estimate  on  the  abilities 
and  virtues  of  others,  and  to  rejoice  in  their  success. 
His  letters  and  private  diary  bear  full  testimony  on 
this  point ;  but  nowhere  was  his  humble  spirit  so  re 
markably  shown  as  in  his  intercourse  with  his  stu 
dents.  He  never  refused  to  listen  with  patient  atten 
tion  to  any  objections  which  they  desired  to  make  to 
the  sentiments  expressed  in  his  lectures;  he  was  en 
tirely  free  from  that  overbearing  and  dogmatical  spirit 
which  too  often  characterizes  even  able  instructors. 
He  often  referred  to  his  own  juvenile  indiscretions  as 
a  writer,  and  as  a  man,  that  he  might  put  them  on 
their  guard ;  he  desired  his  friends,  the  elders  of  the 
church,  and  even  his  students,  frankly  to  admonish 
him  of  any  thing  in  his  words  or  conduct  which  they 
might  judge  to  be  wrong ;  fearing  lest,  amid  the  multi 
plicity  of  his  engagements,  he  might  neglect  some  im 
portant  business,  commit  some  error,  or  indulge  iu 
some  irregularity  in  manner  or  spirit.  Information 
on  such  points  as  these  he  received  with  kindness  and 
gratitude,  for  he  honestly  and  earnestly  desired  to  be 
aided  in  doing  his  whole  duty  to  God  and  to  man. 

How  beautiful  does  such  humility  appear  in  this 


HIS  PROMINENT  TRAITS.  417 

reply  to  a  friend  who  had  the  faithfulness  to  apprize 
him  of  some  error  he  had  committed  :  "You  need  not 
give  yourself  the  trouble  of  gilding  a  reproof  or  cau 
tion,  but  may  advance  it  in  the  plainest  terms,  and 
with  the  utmost  freedom ;  for  indeed,  I  know  that  I 
have  many  faults,  and  I  think  it  one  of  the  greatest 
felicities  of  life  to  be  put  into  a  way  of  correcting  any 
of  them ;  and  when  a  friend  attempts  this,  I  place  it 
to  the  account  of  the  greatest  obligations,  even  though 
on  the  strictest  examination  I  should  apprehend  that 
some  mistaken  view  of  things  had  been  the  immediate 
occasion  of  such  a  generous  and  self-denying  office  of 
friendship." 

VII.  UNDER  AFFLICTION,  HIS  PATIENCE,  FORTITUDE, 

AND  CHEERFULNESS  GREATLY  ADORNED  HIS  CHARACTER  ; 
WHILE  THE  ELEVATED  PRINCIPLES  IN  WHICH  THESE  ORIG 
INATED  ADDED  MUCH  TO  ITS  BEAUTY. 

It  was  his  lot  often  to  encounter  in  his  own  person 
severe  forms  of  illness,  which  brought  him  apparently 
near  to  the  grave.  We  may  learn  a  useful  lesson  by 
acquainting  ourselves  with  the  exercises  of  his  mind 
under  these  painful  visitations  of  the  providence  of 
God.  As  soon  as  he  was  able  to  write,  after  a  severe 
illness  which  he  endured  with  most  patient  fortitude, 
he  gives  to  Mr.  Orton  the  following  account  of  his 
sickness : 

"  It  is  impossible  to  express  the  support  and  com 
fort  which  God  gave  me  on  my  sick-bed.  His  prom 
ises  were  my  continual  feast.  They  seemed  to  be  all 
united  in  one  stream  of  glory,  and  poured  into  my 
breast.  When  I  thought  of  dying,  it  sometimes  made 

18* 


418  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

my  very  heart  leap  within  me  to  think  that  I  was 
going  home  to  my  Father  and  my  Saviour, '  to  an  innu 
merable  company  of  angels,  and  the  spirits  of  the  just 
made  perfect/  Animal  nature  was  more  than  once 
in  great  commotion;  my  imagination,  just  in  the 
height  of  the  fever,  hurried  in  the  strangest  manner  I 
ever  knew.  Yet  even  then  Satan  was  not  permitted 
to  suggest  one  single  fear  with  regard  to  my  eternal 
state.  I  can  never  be  sufficiently  thankful  for  this. 
Assist  me  in  praising  God  on  this  account.  Oh  may 
I  come  out  of  the  furnace  like  gold !" 

After  a  subsequent  illness,  he  thus  writes :  "  I  did 
not  experience  so  much  of  the  presence  of  God  in  this 
illness  as  I  did  in  the  former ;  but  I  bless  God  I  have 
not  been  left  either  to  dejection  or  impatience."  In 
recovering  from  another  attack,  he  writes:  "I  have 
been  confined  of  late  by  a  threatening  disorder ;  but, 
I  thank  God,  through  the  prayers  of  my  friends,  and 
a  blessing  on  the  use  of  means,  I  am  now  well.  As 
sist  me  in  acknowledging  the  divine  goodness.  He 
hath  filled  my  soul  with  joy  *  by  the  light  of  his  coun 
tenance/  and  given  me,  I  hope,  more  and  more  to  rise 
above  every  thing  selfish  and  temporal,  that  my  soul 
may  fix  on  what  is  divine  and  immortal.  The  great 
grief  of  my  heart  is,  that  I  can  do  no  more  for  Him. 
Oh  that  my  zeal  may  increase,  that  I  may  know  how, 
on  every  occasion,  to  think  and  speak  and  act  for  God 
in  Christ,  and  may  spend  all  the  remainder  of  my 
days  and  hours  on  earth  in  what  may  have  the  most 
direct  tendency  to  people  heaven.  I  am  so  crowded 
with  cares  that  they  almost  bear  me  down;  yet,  if 
they  may  be  but  cares  for  God,  they  are  welcome." 


HIS  PROMINENT  TRAITS.  419 

He  suffered  much  by  tender  sympathy  with  rela 
tions  and  other  friends  in  their  afflictions ;  yet  in  these 
circumstances  he  displayed  the  same  patient,  humble, 
cheerful  resignation  to  the  will  of  the  Most  Hig%h. 
Speaking  of  the  dangerous  illness  of  his  wife,  whom  he 
loved  almost  to  idolatry,  and  of  the  anxiety  he  had 
felt  for  her  recovery,  he  says,  "  I  bless  God,  my  mind 
is  kept  in  perfect  peace  and  sweet  harmony  of  resig 
nation  to  his  wise  and  gracious  will.  And  indeed  the 
less  will  we  have  of  our  own  for  any  thing  but  to  please 
him,  the  more  comfort  we  shall  find  in  whatever  cir 
cumstances  he  is  pleased  to  allot  to  us."  At  another 
time  of  affliction,  he  observes,  "  I  am  ready  to  resign 
my  agreeable  circumstances,  and  to  come,  if  such  were 
the  will  of  my  Lord,  to  bread  and  water,  and  to  a  dun 
geon,  if  his  name  may  be  but  glorified  by  it,  provided 
he  will  but  look  through  the  gloom,  and  cheer  me  with 
the  light  of  his  countenance.  Yea,  I  am  willing  to 
submit,  in  the  midst  of  inward  as  well  as  outward 
darkness,  if  his  name  may  but  be  glorified.  And  when 
I  feel  this,  as  I  bless  God  at  some  times  I  do,  then  a 
living  fountain  of  consolation  springs  up  in  my  soul, 
and  the  waters  of  life  overflow  me." 

His  affectionate  heart  was  often  moved  exceeding 
ly  by  the  death  of  brethren  in  the  ministry,  students 
under  his  care,  and  other  friends ;  yet  his  grief  was 
modified  and  adorned  by  the  most  elevated  devotion 
to  God.  Reflecting  upon  the  loss  of  four  of  his  most 
valuable  friends  in  the  course  of  a  single  year,  he 
says,  "  How  soon  he  may  add  me  to  the  number  of 
my  fathers  and  brethren  he  only  knows.  I  thankful 
ly  own  that  I  am  not  solicitous  about  it.  I  hereby 


420  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

leave  it  under  my  hand  before  him,  that  I  am  his 
property — that  I  have  no  greater  ambition  than  to  be 
disposed  of  by  him;  to  be  silent  until  he  commands 
me  to  speak;  to  watch  his  eye  and  hand  for  every 
intimation  of  his  will,  and  to  do  it  and  bear  it  as  far 
as  my  little  strength  will  carry  me,  waiting  on  him 
for  further  strength  in  proportion  to  renewed  diffi 
culties  ;  and  all  my  interests  and  concerns  I  do  most 
cordially  lodge  in  his  hands,  and  leave  myself  and 
them  to  his  wise  and  gracious  disposal.'7 

On  another  occasion  of  anxiety  and  distress,  he 
writes,  "  This  day  my  heart  hath  been  almost  torn  in 
pieces  with  sorrow ;  yet,  blessed  be  God.  not  a  hope 
less,  not  a  repining  sorrow,  but  so  softened,  and  so 
sweetened,  that  with  all  its  distress,  I  number  it  among 
the  best  days  of  my  life — if  that  be  good  which  teach- 
eth  us  faith  and  love,  and  which  cherisheth  the  senti 
ments  of  piety  and  benevolence.  I  desire  very  thank 
fully  to  acknowledge  that  days  of  the  sharpest  trial 
have  often  been  days  of  singular  comfort.  The  re 
peated  views  I  have  had  of  a  dear  dying  friend,  who 
is  expressing  so  much  of  the  divine  presence  and  love, 
have  comforted  rather  than  dejected  me.  Blessed  be 
God,  who  hath  sealed  us  both  with  his  grace,  as  those 
that  are  to  be  companions  iii  eternal  glory,  a  thought 
which  now  hath  a  relish  that  nothing  can  exceed, 
nothing  equal." 

VIII.  IN  ADDITION  TO  WHAT  HAS  INCIDENTALLY 
BEEN  BROUGHT  TO  VIEW,  WE  NOW  PROCEED  TO  ILLUS 
TRATE  THE  EMINENTLY  DEVOTIONAL  CHARACTER  OF  DR. 

DODDRIDGE'S  MIND  AND  HABITS. 


HIS  PROMINENT  TRAITS.  421 

Dr.  Kippis  observes,  that  "  the  prime  and  leading 
feature  of  his  soul  was  devotion.  This  was  the  per 
vading  principle  of  his  actions.  What  Dr.  Johnson 
observed  with  regard  to  Dr.  Watts,  'that  as  piety 
predominated  in  his  mind,  it  was  diffused  over  his 
works,  and  that  whatever  he  took  in  hand  was,  by  his 
incessant  solicitude  for  souls,  converted  to  theology/ 
may  with  equal  propriety  be  applied  to  Dr.  Dod- 
dridge." 

It  has  been  already  shown  what  uncommon  pains 
he  took,  even  in  early  life,  to  cultivate  a  devout  spirit, 
and  to  walk  in  close  communion  with  God.  The 
noble  career  then  commenced,  was  pursued,  and  with 
increasing  fervor  and  success,  to  the  very  end  of  life. 
Morning,  evening,  and  noon  alike,  he  placed  himself 
as  an  earnest  suppliant  privately  before  God,  in  his 
own  behalf  and  in  behalf  of  others.  He  labored  also 
to  keep  his  mind  throughout  the  day  in  a  spiritual  and 
heavenly  frame.  Especially  were  his  first  thoughts  in 
the  morning,  and  his  last  at  night,  conscientiously  and 
solemnly  devoted  to  his  God  and  Saviour.  In  the 
morning  he  made  choice  of  some  passage  of  Scripture, 
which  at  intervals  of  leisure  might  profitably  occupy 
his  thoughts,  and  prevent  a  waste  of  time  during  the 
day,  and  was  accustomed  to  renew  his  covenant  with 
God,  and  make  a  just  dedication  of  soul,  body,  and 
estate  to  him  ;  and  especially  did  he  occupy  the  morn 
ing  of  the  Sabbath  in  devotional  exercises,  prepara 
tory  to  his  public  labors  in  the  sanctuary. 

Spiritual  meditation  he  regarded  as  an  important 
part  of  every  Christian's  duty ;  he  found  it  a  help  to 
prayer,  and  a  source  of  rich  gratification.  Though 


422  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

he  abounded  in  secret  prayer,  he  often  expresses  deep 
regret  that  his  manifold  and  necessary  cares  had  ren 
dered  him  less  frequent,  fervent,  and  devout  in  the 
performance  of  this  duty  than  he  should  have  been. 
In  all  his  seasons  of  devotion  he  abounded  in  praise 
and  thanksgiving  to  God,  as  a  means  of  promoting 
habitual  cheerfulness  of  mind.  The  workings  of  his 
heart  were  as  carefully  attended  to  as  the  external 
actions  of  his  life,  and  were  placed  on  record  for  his 
own  spiritual  improvement.  At  fourteen  years  of  age 
he  began  to  keep  a  diary  of  his  spiritual  and  intel 
lectual  progress.  In  later  years,  for  the  sake  of  sav 
ing  time,  he  indicated  by  a  system  of  marks  the  frame 
of  his  mind,  the  character  of  his  devotions,  and  the 
occupations  pursued.  He  felt  it  expedient,  parties 
larly  in  the  earlier  part  of  his  ministry,  to  devote 
frequently  a  day  to  humiliation  and  special  prayer 
for  bringing  the  passions  of  his  buoyant  mind  into  due 
subjection  and  control.  These  labors  for  self-culture 
were  rewarded  with  most  signal  and  happy  success. 

He  was  a  careful  and  devout  observer  of  the  provi 
dences  of  God,  relating  to  himself,  to  his  family,  and 
to  others.  He  kept  a  record  of  them,  appending  to  the 
account  such  lessons,  cautions,  or  memoranda,  as  they 
suggested  to  him  at  the  time,  which  were  recorded  for 
future  use.  He  recognized  the  hand  of  God  in  every 
kindness  bestowed  upon  him  by  his  friends,  in  the  con 
cern  which  any  persons  manifested  for  the  support  of 
religion,  and  also  in  the  adverse  events  which  took 
place,  the  death  of  beloved  friends,  the  attacks  which 
were  made  upon  his  good  name,  and  the  disappointment 
of  some  of  his  schemes  of  usefulness.  At  such  times 


HIS  PROMINENT  TRAITS.  423 

his  record  would  be,  "  My  God  is  humbling  me,  and  I 
need  it.  Oh  that  it  may  quicken  me  likewise."  He 
sought  to  turn  the  events  which  he  recorded  to  a  prac 
tical  account :  for  example,  he  says,  "  Falling  into  con 
versation  with  some  persons  of  rank  who  appeared  to 
be  profane  and  earthly,  it  imprinted  on  my  mind,  and 
may  I  ever  retain  it,  a  deep  sense  of  the  vanity  of  life 
when  not  governed  by  religion.  I  heartily  pitied 
them,  and  was  truly  sensible  of  my  obligations  to 
God,  who  has  in  some  measure  formed  me  to  sweeter 
pleasures  and  nobler  expectations." 

He  entertained  exalted  notions  of  the  efficacy  of 
prayer.  He  had  often  witnessed  its  happy  effects 
when  there  was  little  to  expect  from  human  wisdom 
or  strength  alone ;  he  had  read  with  deep  interest 
well-attested  accounts  of  its  efficacy  in  many  signal 
instances,  and  had  experienced  in  his  own  spiritual 
progress  the  beneficial  results  of  prayer.  Hence,  be 
sides  his  stated  seasons  for  private  prayer,  he  seldom 
applied  himself  to  study,  to  the  composition  of  a  ser 
mon,  or  the  writing  of  an  important  letter,  without  a 
previous  offering  of  prayer  for  divine  illumination 
and  guidance.  He  performed  the  same  act  as  a  prep 
aration  for  visiting  the  afflicted,  or  the  unconverted, 
with  whom  he  designed  to  converse  upon  the  subject 
of  their  relations  to  God  and  to  eternity.  Before 
entering  upon  a  journey,  he  was  accustomed,  in  early 
life,  to  imagine  the  various  scenes  of  danger,  labor,  or 
temptation,  and  to  spread  them  out  before  the  Lord 
with  appropriate  supplications  for  grace  to  meet  them ; 
and  after  his  return,  he  instituted  a  careful  examina 
tion  of  the  manner  and  spirit  in  which  he  had  encoun- 


424  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

tered  them.  It  was  his  plan,  when  travelling  with 
any  of  his  students,  or  other  intimate  friends,  to  exert 
himself  to  render  his  conversation  spiritually  profita 
ble,  often  introducing  for  this  purpose  a  text  of  Scrip 
ture  as  a  subject  of  remark.  It  has  also  been  stated 
that  he  kept  his  birthday  and  the  New-year's  day  as 
days  of  solemn  and  thoughtful  review,  and  of  special 
religious  meditations  and  resolutions. 

"  JAN.  1,  1726-7.  Last  night  I  was  seriously  re 
flecting  on  the  year  I  am  come  to  the  conclusion  of; 
and  I  now  look  forward  to  the  year  which  I  have 
entered  upon.  I  see  many  necessities  which  can  only 
be  supplied  by  divine  bounty;  many  duties  which  I 
shall  be  utterly  unable  to  perform  without  the  com 
munications  of  divine  grace;  and  many  uncertain 
events  which  I  cannot  make  myself  easy  about  any 
other  way  than  by  referring  them  to  the  divine  care. 
Nothing,  therefore,  can  be  more  reasonable  than  to 
renew  the  dedication  of  myself  to  God  this  morning. 
Accordingly  I  have  done  it  in  secret  prayer ;  and  in 
order  to  confirm  the  impression  of  it  on  my  heart,  I 
now  repeat  it  by  the  writing  of  my  hand. 

"  To  thee,  Oh  glorious  and  eternal  God,  the  Crea 
tor,  Preserver,  and  Ruler  of  all ;  to  thee  the  invisible 
Father  of  lights,  and  overflowing  fountain  of  all  good, 
do  I  devote  my  unworthy  soul.  In  dependence  on  the 
atonement  and  intercession  of  thy  dear  Son,  and  on  the 
powerful  assistance  of  thine  almighty  grace,  I  humbly 
renew  my  covenant  with  thee.  I  am  grieved  and 
ashamed  to  think  how  wretchedly  I  have  been  alien 
ated  from  thee;  I  do  now  seriously  determine  that  I 


HIS  PROMINENT  TRAITS.  425 

will  endeavor  in  every  action  of  life  to  approve  my 
self  in  thy  sight,  and  to  behave  as  thy  faithful  servant. 
To  thee  do  I  consecrate  all  that  I  am  and  have — all 
my  time,  worldly  possessions,  the  powers  of  my  soul, 
and  the  members  of  my  body.  And  because  it  may 
be  of  use  to  specify  some  particulars  comprehended  in 
this  general  engagement,  I  would  especially  resolve  to 
be  more  careful  in  the  improvement  of  my  time,  to 
redeem  it  from  useless  visits,  impertinent  discourse, 
idle  speculations,  neglect  of  business,  excessive  recrea 
tions  ;  and  to  watch  over  my  actions,  words,  thoughts, 
and  affections,  answerably  to  these  engagements.  I 
will  endeavor  to  conquer  pride  in  my  heart,  and  with 
the  most  vigorous  resolution  restrain  all  the  appear 
ances  of  it.  I  will  endeavor  to  behave  with  constant 
kindness  and  complaisance,  prudence,  and  gravity.  I 
will  labor  after  greater  ardor  in  devotion,  and  use  all 
proper  means  to  attain  it,  especially  preparing  my 
heart,  praying  for  thy  Spirit,  keeping  up  ejaculatory 
prayer,  and  using  the  assistance  of  Scripture.  I  will 
be  watchful  for  opportunities  of  doing  good  both  to 
the  bodies  and  souls  of  my  fellow-creatures,  and  con 
sider  all  my  time  and  worldly  possessions  as  given  me 
principally  for  this  purpose. 

"In  subservience  to  these  general  resolutions,  I 
would  particularly  engage  to  maintain  a  constant  de 
pendence  on  thy  grace,  and  frequent  self-examination ; 
to  record  remarkable  appearances,  and  to  recover 
from  the  first  declension.  I  beg  that  thy  grace  may 
enable  me  to  fulfil  these  engagements.  All  the  un 
known  events  of  the  year  do  I  put  into  thy  hands; 
leaving  it  to  thee  to  determine  whether  I  shall  be 


PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

healthy  or  sick,  rich  or  poor,  honored  or  dishon 
ored,  surrounded  with  friends  or  deprived  of  them; 
successful  in  business  or  incapable  of  it,  or  disap 
pointed  in  it;  in  a  word,  whether  I  shall  live  or 
die,  only  let  me  be  thy  servant.  Wheresoever  thou 
leadest,  I  will  follow ;  whatsoever  thou  takest,  I  will 
resign;  whatsoever  thou  layest  upon  me,  I  will 
patiently  bear :  only  let  thy  grace  be  sufficient  for 
me;  and  then  call  me  to  what  services  or  sufferings 
thou  pleasest." 

The  scenes  of  devotion  often  witnessed  in  the  ves 
try-room  connected  with  the  doctor's  meeting-house, 
where  he  passed  days  of  humiliation,  fasting,  and 
prayer,  usually  the  days  set  apart  for  his  devotional 
lectures,  deserve  distinct  mention,  as  eminently  condu 
cive  to  his  growth  in  grace,  and  to  the  success  of  his 
ministry.  He  has  left  behind  many  interesting  records 
of  the  profitable  manner  in  which  those  solitary  days 
were  passed. 

DAYS  IN  THE  VESTRY-ROOM. 

"MARCH  4,  1748-9.  A  variety  of  events  which 
have  lately  happened,  have  been  the  means  of  throw 
ing  me  very  much  off  my  guard,  and  preventing  that 
self-government  and  enjoyment  of  God  which  I  have 
frequently  maintained,  and  in  which  I  have  been  much 
happier  than  I  now  am.  I  have  perceived  the  sensible 
withdrawings  of  the  Spirit  of  God  from  me,  owing  to 
much  company  which  broke  in  upon  my  morning  and 
evening  devotions,  and  brought  upon  me  a  habit  of 
trifling ;  so  that  I  have  felt  little  of  lively  devotion, 
and  been  defective  in  some  parts  of  pastoral  duty. 


HIS  PROMINENT  TRAITS.  42t 

My  heart  smote  me  for  this  in  the  morning,  and  I  de 
termined  to  keep  some  particular  hints  of  its  frame, 
that  I  may  judge  how  I  proceed.  My  first  resolution, 
in  order  to  mend  it,  was  to  carry  it  directly  to  the 
throne  of  grace,  to  complain  of  it  there,  and  implore 
divine  influences  to  correct  what  is  amiss,  and  better 
keep  it  for  the  future.  I  begged  to  be  led  into  the 
cause  of  my  declensions  ;  and  I  left  the  matter  with 
the  Lord  to  quicken  me  and  comfort  me  in  his  own 
season ;  and  in  the  meantime  expressed  my  desire  of 
waiting,  though  in  the  least  joyful  frame,  till  He  shall 
be  pleased  to  return ;  only  desiring  that  I  might  wait 
in  the  posture  of  service,  and  that,  if  I  should  enjoy 
ever  so  little,  I  might  do  all  in  my  power  for  my  God. 
My  carelessness  in  self-examination  was  an  evil  which 
also  occurred  to  me  in  reflection.  I  formed  some 
good  resolutions  with  regard  to  these  particulars. 
But  when  I  consider  how  many  of  my  good  resolu 
tions  have  died  in  embryo,  I  have  been  full  of  fear 
lest  these  should  do  so  too.  To  prevent  this,  I  would 
renew  them  in  the  divine  strength,  and  in  that  strength 
would  push  them  forward  as  fast  as  I  can  ;  remember 
ing  that  a  man  of  forty-seven  is  to  count  upon  very  lit 
tle  time  before  him.  On  the  whole  it  hath  appeared 
to  me,  upon  the  most  attentive  survey,  that  I  do  in 
deed  love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity,  and  that 
my  soul  is  safe  for  eternity  should  I  be  ever  so  sud 
denly  surprised  into  it ;  but  that  there  is  much  to  be 
lamented  and  much  to  be  corrected,  or  I  shall  lose 
much  of  that  gracious  reward  which  I  might  else 
have  obtained,  and  much  of  that  blessing  on  my  en 
deavors  to  do  good  which  I  might  otherwise  have  ex- 


428  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

pected ;  that  if  I  should  go  on  to  trifle  with  the  bless 
ed  God,  as  in  some  instances  I  have  done,  particularly 
by  putting  off  some  services  to  which  He  calls  me,  on 
slight  pretences,  and  indulging  so  much  idleness  and 
irresolution  with  regard  to  the  evening  and  its  devo 
tions,  I  may  probably  be  chastened  and  wounded  in 
the  tenderest  part. 

"  JUNE  2,  1750.  After  my  devotional  lecture  I  re 
tired  to  the  vestry,  and  endeavored  to  prepare  my  soul 
for  the  work  before  me.  I  earnestly  implored  divine 
assistance ;  then  reviewed  my  late  conduct,  and  strug 
gled  hard  to  humble  myself  deeply  before  God ;  which, 
blessed  be  his  name,  I  did.  I  reviewed  the  dealings 
of  God  with  me,  confessed  my  sins  before  him,  earnest 
ly  desired  the  warmer  exercises  of  divine  love;  re 
newed  with  great  sincerity  the  entire  surrender  of 
myself  to  God,  and  thought  with  unutterable  delight 
on  the  counterpart  of  the  covenant,  that  He  is  my 
God ;  resolved  in  his  strength  rather  to  die  than  to 
deal  unfaithfully  with  him.  Neither  life  nor  even 
heaven  appeared  desirable,  but  for  his  sake,  to  serve 
and  enjoy  Him.  I  read  some  passages  of  Scripture, 
especially  the  latter  part  of  Romans  8,  and  some  de 
vout  hymns.  I  then  prayed  for  temporal  and  spiritual 
blessings  for  myself;  and  made  earnest  intercession  for 
my  dear  flock,  for  each  of  my  children,  pupils,  and 
select  friends,  by  name.  I  also  interceded,  with  grow 
ing  fervor,  for  the  propagation  of  the  gospel  abroad, 
and  the  advancement  of  it  in  our  own  country.  I 
then  spent  some  time  in  projecting  further  schemes 
for  the  divine  honor.  A  storm  of  thunder  rising,  I 
had  some  delightful  views  in  reading  Psalm  29.  I 


HIS  PROMINENT  TRAITS.  429 

then  set  myself  to  a  solemn  act  of  thanksgiving,  with 
which  I  concluded  these  retired  devotions.  And  I 
must  record  it  to  the  honor  of  divine  grace,  that  I 
never  enjoyed  more  of  God  in  my  whole  life  than  in 
these  five  hours.  Oh,  how  wanting  have  I  been  to 
myself,  that  I  have  no  more  sought  such  feasts  as 
these.  Cares  lay  in  ambush  for  me  at  home,  from 
which  I  had  great  reason  to  rejoice  that  I  had  so  long 
escaped. 

"  OCT.  5,  1750.  With  great  relish  did  I  think  of 
this  day  before  its  approach.  It  was  late  before  I 
reached  my  asylum,  the  vestry.  In  pursuing  my  plan, 
I  reviewed  the  memoranda  of  the  last  month,  and  saw 
much  cause  for  thanksgiving,  and  to  mingle  humilia 
tion  with  it — thanksgiving  especially  for  assistance 
in  my  public  labors,  which,  through  grace,  have  been 
this  month  animated  and  pleasant ;  but  I  had  reason 
to  be  humbled  that  I  had  despatched  much  less  busi 
ness  in  my  study  than  I  should  have  done,  and  that 
there  has  been  too  great  a  neglect  of  the  private  care 
of  my  congregation.  For  this  I  humbled  myself  be 
fore  God,  while  I  acknowledged  his  mercy.  1  found 
particular  reason  to  praise  him  for  some  favors  to  me, 
with  regard  to  the  academy  and  congregation  •  the 
prospect  of  success  in  some  of  my  schemes  for  his 
glory ;  the  rise  of  the  Society  for  Promoting  Religious 
Knowledge  among  the  Poor;  and  the  prevention  of 
some  party  schemes  from  taking  place. 

"During  these  exercises  I  felt  a  holy  joy  in  God 
in  the  views  of  heaven,  and  hope  of  appearing  with 
acceptance  at  last  in  the  presence  of  my  Judge.  I 
spent  a  whole  hour  in  the  delightful  exercise  of  inter- 


430  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

cession;  with  great  fervency  pouring  out  my  whole 
soul  before  God  for  the  world  and  the  church ;  losing 
what  was  particular  in  what  was  general,  upon  truly 
Christian  and  catholic  principles :  God  is  witness. 
Before  I  entered  on  what  was  peculiar  in  the  design 
of  the  day,  I  set  myself  to  contemplate  the  sufferings 
of  Christ.  I  had  a  delightful  survey  of  them,  and  was 
enabled  to  rejoice  in  his  triumph  and  glory,  and  anew 
to  devote  myself  to  him  as  not  my  own,  but  bought 
with  a  price.  I  found  my  heart  inflamed  with  an  ear 
nest  desire  of  acting  for  this  Saviour,  and  asked  of 
God  wisdom  and  resolution  for  this  purpose.  In  the 
close,  I  was  taken  up  with  admiring  and  adoring  re 
deeming  love,  and  in  blessing  God  for  that  communion 
which  I  had  this  day  enjoyed  with  him.  He  hath  been 
with  me  of  a  truth ;  he  hath  heard  the  language  of  my 
heart  as  well  as  my  voice,  and  I  leave  it  on  record 
that  I  have  a  cheerful  expectation  of  his  blessing,  and 
hope  to  have  new  matter  of  praise  as  to  manifestation 
of  divine  love  to  my  soul,  and  ministerial  success,  be 
fore  another  of  these  days  return.  I  saw  with  regret 
my  time  for  this  exercise  was  ended.  I  left  the  feast 
with  an  appetite,  and  my  soul  said,  'It  is  good  to  be 
here/  'Blessed  be  the  Lord  God  from  henceforth 
even  for  evermore.  Amen.' " 

If  any  should  suppose  that  days  of  solemn  com 
munion  with  God  like  these  must  be  days  of  wretch 
edness,  and  are  by  no  means  to  be  coveted,  the  error 
will  be  corrected  by  referring  to  the  testimony  which 
Dr.  Doddridge  bears  on  this  point  in  his  "  Rise  and 
Progress  of  Religion,"  ch.  30,  sec.  1,  besides  what  is 
incidentally  given  in  the  records  of  such  days  just 


HIS  PROMINENT  TRAITS.  431 

quoted:  "The  experience  of  many  years  of  my  life 
hath  established  me  in  a  persuasion  that  one  day  spent 
in  a  devout,  religious  manner,  is  preferable  to  whole 
years  of  sensuality  and  neglect  of  religion.  The 
most  considerable  enjoyments  which  I  expect  or  de 
sire,  in  the  remaining  days  of  my  pilgrimage  on  earth, 
are  such  as  I  have  directed  you  to  seek  in  religion. 
Such  love  to  God,  such  constant  activity  in  his  ser 
vice,  such  pleasurable  views  of  what  lies  beyond  the 
grave,  appear  to  me — God  is  my  witness — a  felicity 
infinitely  beyond  any  thing  else  which  can  offer  itself 
to  our  affections  and  pursuits ;  and  I  would  not  for 
ten  thousand  worlds  resign  my  share  in  them,  or  con 
sent  even  to  the  suspension  of  the  delights  which  they 
afford,  during  the  remainder  of  my  abode  here." 

Not  only  in  his  vestry-room,  in  his  study,  and  in 
his  social  or  public  religious  services  alone,  did  Dr. 
Doddridge  show  a  devout  character,  but  in  his  general 
intercourse  with  his  fellow-men.  Even  in  small  inter 
vals  of  leisure,  was  he  accustomed  to  lift  up  his  heart 
to  God ;  his  ordinary  conversation  evinced  his  devout 
temper ;  his  lectures  even  on  natural  science  abound 
ed  in  religious  instructions  which  directed  the  mind 
to  God  and  to  heaven ;  his  visits  were  those  of  the 
spiritually-minded  Christian,  and  of  the  man  who  was 
ever  seeking  to  do  good.  It  has  been  already  shown 
that,  when  in  company  with  persons  of  rank  and  dis 
tinction  he  heard  them  utter  words  of  profanity  or 
licentiousness,  he  had  the  moral  courage  to  reprove 
them  in  a  most  effective  though  gentle  manner  for 
such  irregularities,  without  provoking  resentment. 
His  ordinary  social  visits  were  often  concluded  with 


432  PHILIP  DODDEIDGE. 

prayer  ;  while  he  took  special  pains  to  render  his  re 
ligious  or  pastoral  visits  eminently  instructive. 

His  devout  and  pious  spirit  was  delightfully  man 
ifested  in  a  large  portion  of  his  extensive  correspond 
ence.  His  letters  were  often  turned  to  a  spiritual 
account.  As  a  specimen  of  the  method  which  he  took 
to  promote  religion  in  the  hearts  of  his  correspond 
ents,  the  following  letter,  written  in  1728,  is  quoted 
by  Mr.  Orton.  It  furnishes  a  model  of  Christian 
letter-writing,  which  all  should  strive  to  imitate. 
The  friend  to  whom  this  letter  was  addressed,  had 
complained  of  the  doctor's  delay  in  writing  to  him ; 
to  which  he  answers : 

"  My  negligence  in  writing  was  certainly  a  fault, 
but,  to  speak  very  freely  to  a  friend  from  whom  I 
affect  to  conceal  nothing,  doth  not  a  fault  of  the  same 
nature  prevail  in  us  both,  with  regard  to  other  in 
stances  of  much  greater  importance?  We  feel  a  very 
sensible  concern  when  we  have  failed  in  any  expres 
sion  of  respect  to  a  human  friend ;  but  is  there  not  an 
invisible  Friend  who  deserves  infinitely  better  of  us 
both  than  we  of  each  other,  or  than  others  of  us? 
And  yet  Him,  of  all  friends,  we  are  most  ready  to 
forget.  Believe  me,  my  friend,  when  I  think  of  my 
propensity  to  forget  and  offend  God,  all  the  instances 
of  negligence  which  others  can  charge  me  with  are  as 
nothing,  and  I  am  almost  ashamed  of  that  regret  which 
might  otherwise  appear  reasonable  and  decent.  Tell 
me  freely,  am  I  not  opening  a  wound  in  your  heart  as 
well  as  in  my  own  ?  I  hope  and  believe  that  you  find 
a  more  abiding  sense  of  the  Divine  presence,  and  that 
the  principles  of  holy  gratitude  and  love  grow  more 


HIS  PROMINENT  TRAITS.  433 

in  your  soul  than  in  mine ;  but  yet  is  there  not  some 
room  for  complaint?  I  am  well  aware  that  this  un 
happy  principle  of  indifference  to  God  is  implanted  so 
deeply  in  our  degenerate  hearts,  that  nothing  but  the 
Divine  power  is  able  to  eradicate  it ;  but  let  us  make 
the  attempt,  and  let  us  see  how  far  the  Spirit  of  God 
will  enable  us  to  execute  a  resolution  which  he  has 
inspired.  Is  it  not  possible,  by  the  blessing  of  God 
on  proper  attempts,  that  we  may  in  a  short  time  make 
it  as  natural  and  habitual  to  our  thoughts  to  centre 
themselves  in  God  and  a  Redeemer,  and  in  the  impor 
tant  hopes  of  eternal  glory,  as  we  ever  found  it  to  be 
with  regard  to  a  favorite  creature  ?  At  least,  let  us 
not  conclude  the  contrary  until  we  have  tried  the 
experiment  with  ardor  •  and  can  we  say  that  we  have 
ever  yet  tried  it?  Can  we  say  that  we  have  ever 
maintained  the  resolution  to  exert  our  utmost  com 
mand  over  our  thoughts,  so  as  to  fix  them  upon  divine 
objects  for  one  single  week  ?  I  have  tried  it  for  a  day 
or  two  with  encouraging  success,  but  never  yet  had 
the  constancy  to  hold  out  for  a  week.  This  evening, 
having  concluded  one  quarter  of  the  year,  I  have  de 
voted  part  of  it  to  the  review  of  my  own  temper  and 
conduct ;  and  I  find  that  the  numberless  evils  which 
have  surrounded  me  may  be  traced  up  to  this  unhap 
py  source,  a  forgetfulness  of  God.  I  have  therefore 
determined,  by  the  divine  assistance,  to  attempt  a  ref 
ormation,  by  binding  myself  to  a  most  resolute  oppo 
sition  to  this  ingratitude ;  and  I  communicate  the  reso 
lution  to  you,  to  engage  the  assistance  of  your  pray 
ers,  and  to  recommend  to  you  to  make  a  like  attempt." 
The  spirituality  of  Dr.  Doddridge  was  evinced 

Doddridpe.  1 9 


434  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

sometimes  even  in  his  dreams.  One  of  these  is  quite 
remarkable.  It  was  thus  related  by  the  Rev.  Samuel 
Clarke  of  Birmingham,  at  the  time  his  pupil  at  North 
ampton  : 

"  Dr.  Doddridge  and  my  father,  Dr.  Clarke  of  St. 
Albans,  had  been  one  evening  conversing  upon  the 
nature  of  the  separate  state,  and  of  the  probability 
that  the  scenes  on  which  the  soul  would  enter,  upon 
leaving  the  body,  would  bear  some  resemblance  to 
those  with  which  it  had  been  conversant  while  on 
earth;  so  that  it  might  by  degrees  be  prepared  for 
the  sublime  happiness  of  the  heavenly  world.  This, 
and  other  conversation  of  the  same  kind,  was  the  im 
mediate  occasion  of  the  following  dream : 

"  Dr.  Doddridge  imagined  himself  dangerously  ill 
at  a  friend's  house  in  London,  and  that  after  lying  in 
that  state  for  some  time,  his  soul  left  the  body,  and 
took  its  flight  in  some  kind  of  vehicle,  which,  though 
very  different  from  the  body  it  had  just  quitted,  was 
still  material.  He  pursued  his  course  till  he  was  at 
some  distance  from  the  city,  when,  turning  back  arid 
reviewing  the  town,  he  could  not  forbear  saying  to 
himself,  '  How  trifling  and  vain  do  the  affairs  which 
the  inhabitants  of  this  place  are  so  eagerly  employed 
in  appear  to  me,  a  separate  spirit.'  At  length,  as  he 
was  continuing  his  progress,  though  without  any  cer 
tain  direction,  yet  easy  and  happy  in  the  thought  of 
the  universal  providence  of  God,  which  extends  alike 
to  all  states  and  to  all  worlds,  he  was  met  by  one 
who  told  him  that  he  was  sent  to  conduct  him  to  the 
place  appointed  for  him;  from  which  he  concluded 
that  it  could  be  no  other  than  an  angel.  They  went 


HIS  PROMINENT  TRAITS.  435 

on  together  till  they  came  in  sight  of  a  spacious  build 
ing,  which  had  the  appearance  of  a  palace ;  upon  which 
he  inquired  of  his  guide  what  it  was,  and  was  told 
that  it  was  the  place  assigned  for  his  residence  at 
present.  The  doctor  then  observed,  that  he  had  read, 
when  upon  earth,  that  eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard, 
nor  have  entered  into  the  heart  of  man  the  great 
things  God  had  laid  up  for  his  servants ;  whereas  he 
could  easily  conceive  an  idea  of  such  a  building  as 
that  before  him,  though  somewhat  inferior  in  point  of 
elegance.  The  answer  his  guide  made  him  was  such 
as,  from  the  conversation  he  had  with  his  friend  the 
evening  before,  might  easily  suggest  itself:  it  was,  that 
some  of  the  first  scenes  that  presented  themselves  to  his 
view  would  bear  a  resemblance  to  those  he  had  been  ac 
customed  to  upon  earth,  that  his  mind  might  be  gradu 
ally  prepared  the  more  easily  to  behold  the  unknown 
glories  which  would  be  presented  to  his  view  hereafter. 
"  By  this  time  they  were  come  up  to  the  palace, 
and  his  guide  led  him  through  a  kind  of  saloon  into 
an  inner  apartment,  where  the  first  thing  he  observed 
was  a  golden  cup,  which  stood  upon  a  table ;  on  this 
cup  was  embossed  the  figure  of  a  vine  bearing  grapes. 
He  asked  his  guide  the  meaning  of  it,  who  told  him 
that  it  was  the  cup  out  of  which  our  Saviour  drank 
new  wine  with  his  disciples  in  his  kingdom,  and  that 
the  carved  figures  were  to  signify  the  union  between 
Christ  and  his  people ;  implying  that  as  the  grapes 
derive  all  their  beauty  and  sweetness  from  the  vine, 
so  the  saints,  even  in  a  state  of  glory,  are  indebted  for 
their  virtue  and  happiness  to  their  union  with  their 
immortal  Head,  in  whom  they  are  all  complete. 


436  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

"  While  they  were  conversing  he  thought  he  heard 
a  gentle  tap  at  the  door,  and  was  informed  by  his 
guide  that  it  was  the  signal  of  his  Lord's  approach, 
and  intended  to  prepare  him  for  the  interview.  Ac 
cordingly,  in  a  short  time,  he  thought  he  beheld 
his  Saviour  enter  the  chamber,  upon  which  he  cast 
himself  down  at  His  feet,  when  He  graciously  raised 
him  up,  and  with  a  look  of  inexpressible  complacency, 
assured  him  of  His  favor,  and  kind  acceptance  of  his 
faithful  services;  and  as  a  token  of  peculiar  regard, 
and  of  the  intimate  friendship  He  intended  to  honor 
him  with,  He  took  up  the  cup,  and  after  drinking  of  it 
himself,  gave  it  into  his  hands,  which  the  doctor 
thought  he  declined,  as  too  great  a  favor  and  honor  • 
but  his  Lord  replied,  as  He  did  to  Peter,  with  regard 
to  washing  his  feet :  '  If  thou  drink  not  with  me,  thou 
hast  no  part  with  me.;  This  scene,  he  said,  filled  him 
with  such  a  transport  of  gratitude,  love,  joy,  and  ad 
miration,  that  he  was  ready  to  sink  under  it ;  his  Mas 
ter  seemed  sensible  of  it,  and  told  him  He  should  leave 
him  for  the  present,  but  that  it  would  not  be  long  be 
fore  He  repeated  his  visit;  and  that  in  the  mean  time, 
he  would  have  enough  to  employ  his  thoughts  in  re 
flecting  on  the  past,  and  in  contemplating  the  objects 
around  him. 

"  As  soon  as  his  Lord  was  retired,  and  his  mind  a 
little  composed,  he  observed  that  the  room  was  hung 
around  with  pictures ;  and  upon  examining  them  at 
tentively,  discovered,  to  his  great  surprise,  that  they 
represented  the  history  of  his  own  life :  all  the  remark 
able  scenes  he  had  passed  through  being  thus  portray 
ed  in  the  most  lively  manner,  it  may  be  easily  imag- 


HIS  PROMINENT  TRAITS.  437 

ined  how  they  would  affect  his  mind.  The  many  temp 
tations  and  trials  he  had  been  exposed  to,  the  signal 
instances  of  the  Divine  goodness  to  him  in  all  the  dif 
ferent  periods  of  his  life,  which  by  this  means  were  all 
fully  represented  to  his  view,  at  once  again  excited  the 
strongest  emotions  of  gratitude  and  love,  especially 
when  he  considered  that  he  was  beyond  the  reach  of 
future  distress,  and  that  all  the  purposes  of  the  divine 
love  and  mercy  towards  him  were  at  length  happily 
fulfilled.  The  ecstasy  of  joy  and  thankfulness  into 
which  these  ideas  threw  him  were  so  great  that  he 
awoke.  For  some  considerable  time,  however,  after 
he  arose,  the  impression  continued  so  strong  and  live 
ly  that  tears  of  joy  flowed  down  his  cheeks,  and  he 
said  that  he  never  remembered  on  any  occasion  to 
have  felt  sentiments  of  devotion,  love,  and  gratitude 
equally  impressed  upon  his  mind." 

It  was  under  the  impression  of  this  dream  that  he 
wrote  the  following  hymn,  to  be  found  in  his  works. 

PHILIPPIANS  1:  21. 

While  on  the  verge  of  life  I  stand, 
And  view  the  scene  on  either  hand, 
My  spirit  struggles  with  its  clay, 
And  longs  to  wing  its  flight  away. 

Where  Jesus  dwells  my  soul  would  be ; 
It  faints  my  much-loved  Lord  to  see : 
Earth,  twine  no  more  around  my  heart, 
"For  Oh,  't  were  better  to  depart. 

Come,  ye  angelic  envoys,  come, 
And  lead  the  willing  pilgrim  home ; 
Ye  know  the  way  to  that  bright  throne, 
Source  of  my  joys,  and  of  your  own. 


438  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

That  blessed  interview !  how  sweet 
To  fall  transported  at  his  feet ; 
Raised  in  his  arms,  to  view  his  face 
Through  the  full  beamings  of  his  grace. 

To  see  heaven's  shining  courtiers  round, 
Each  with  immortal  glories  crowned ; 
And  while  His  form  in  each  I  trace, 
With  that  fraternal  band  embrace. 

As  with  a  seraph's  voice  to  sing ; 
To  fly  as  on  a  cherub's  wing ; 
Performing,  with  unwearied  hands, 
A  present  Saviour's  high  commands. 

Yet  with  these  prospects  full  in  sight, 
I  '11  wait  thy  signal  for  my  flight ; 
And  in  thy  service  here  below 
Confess  that  heavenly  joys  may  grow. 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  439 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE  LAST  DAYS  OF  DODDRIDGE. 

WE  have  followed  with  interest  this  great  and 
good  man  to  the  zenith  of  his  popularity,  laborious- 
ness,  and  usefulness.  It  is  now  with  solemn  and  pain 
ful  feelings  we  are  to  see  him  removed  from  the  people 
whom  he  loved  and  served  so  well,  from  the  academy 
in  which  he  had  trained  so  many  learned  and  godly 
ministers,  and  from  the  domestic  circle  where  he  was 
so  ardently  loved  and  so  highly  venerated.  His  path 
had  been  that  of  the  just,  "  as  the  shining  light,  which 
shineth  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day."  We 
shall  see  that  the  light  of  holiness,  which  he  shed 
around  his  path,  became  brighter  and  brighter  until 
it  was  lost  in  the  splendors  of  the  world  of  glory. 

The  last  funeral-sermon  which  he  preached  was  at 
St.  Albans,  for  his  early  friend  and  benefactor  the 
Rev.  Samuel  Clarke,  D.  D.  It  was  a  service  that 
cost  his  precious  life.  On  the  journey  he  took  cold, 
which  so  impaired  his  lungs  during  the  winter  and 
spring,  that  in  the  following  summer  he  was  obliged 
altogether  to  lay  aside  his  important  occupations  at 
Northampton,  and  devote  himself  to  medical  treat 
ment,  recreation,  and  travel.  He  was  too  slow,  how 
ever,  in  beginning  this  course.  His  physician  and 
friends  had  for  months  sought  in  vain  to  induce  him 
to  intermit  his  arduous  labors  as  a  preacher,  tutor, 
author,  and  correspondent;  but  when  his  danger  be- 


440  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

came  perfectly  obvious,  he  reluctantly  yielded  to  their 
advice,  regarding  it  as  worse  than  death  to  live  and 
not  be  useful.  "At  this  time  he  was  observed  by  his 
friends  and  correspondents  to  be  making  uncommon 
progress  in  spirituality  and  heavenly-mindedness,  as 
was  fit  in  one  whose  further  stay  on  earth  was  des 
tined  to  be  of  very  short  duration. 

Thus,  in  some  of  the  letters  written  about  this 
period  to  his  friends,  he  says,  "  I  bless  God  earth  is 
less  and  less  to  me ;  and  I  shall  be  very  glad  to  have 
done  with  it  once  for  all,  as  soon  as  it  shall  please  my 
Master  to  give  me  leave.  Yet  for  him  I  would  live 
and  labor,  and  I  hope,  if  such  were  his  will,  suffer 
too."  "  Should  God  spare  my  life,  many  opportunities 
of  doing  good  may  arise  •  but  to  depart  and  be  with 
Christ  is  far,  infinitely,  better.  I  desire  the  prayers 
of  my  friends  in  my  present  circumstances.  I  remem 
ber  them  in  my  poor  way ;  but  alas,  what  with  my 
infirmities,  and  what  with  the  hurries  to  which  I  am 
here  in  London  peculiarly  obnoxious,  and  the  many 
affairs  and  interruptions  which  are  pressing  upon  me, 
my  praying  time  is  sadly  contracted.  I  feel  nothing 
in  myself  at  present  that  should  give  me  reason  to 
apprehend  immediate  danger;  but  the  obstinacy  of 
my  cough,  and  its  proneness  to  return  upon  every  lit 
tle  provocation,  gives  me  some  alarm.  Go  on  to  pray 
for  me  that  my  heart  may  be  fixed  on  God ;  that  every 
motion  and  every  word  may  be  directed  by  love  to 
him,  and  zeal  for  his  glory ;  and  leave  me  with  him 
as  cheerfully  as  I  leave  myself.  May  you  increase 
while  I  decrease,  and  shine  many  years  as  a  bright 
star  in  the  Redeemer's  hand  when  I  am  set." 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  441 

His  last  administration  of  the  Lord's  supper  was  at 
Northampton,  June  2,  1751.  The  text  from  which 
he  preached  was  Heb.  22:23:  "Ye  are  come  to  the 
general  assembly  and  church  of  the  first-born,  etc." 
At  the  conclusion  of  that  service  he  mentioned  with 
uncommon  pleasure  that  view  of  Christ  given  in  the 
Revelation,  as  "  holding  the  stars  in  his  right  hand, 
and  walking  among  the  candlesticks,"  expressive  of 
his  authority  over  ministers  and  churches,  his  right 
to  dispose  of  them  as  he  pleaseth,  and  the  care  he 
taketh  of  them.  He  dropped  some  hints  of  his  ap 
proaching  dissolution,  and  with  the  greatest  tender 
ness  and  affection  spoke  of  his  being  about  to  take  a 
final  leave  of  them.  He  shortly  after  proceeded  to 
London,  where  he  passed  several  weeks,  but  not  with 
the  hoped-for  result  of  benefiting  his  health ;  the  hur 
ries  and  labors  connected  with  his  visit  served  only 
to  increase  his  malady. 

His  last  sermon  was  preached  to  his  own  dear* 
people  at  Northampton,  immediately  after  his  return 
from  London,  on  July  14,  1751.  His  friends  entreat 
ed  him  not  to  incur  the  fatigue  and  hazard  of  preach 
ing  this  sermon,  which,  though  not  prepared  as  a  fare 
well  sermon,  nevertheless  proved  to  be  such,  and  was 
eminently  adapted  to  an  occasion  so  important  and 
solemn.  It  was  founded  on  Rom.  14 :  8 :  "  For  wheth 
er  we  live,  we  live  unto  the  Lord ;  or  whether  we  die, 
we  die  unto  the  Lord ;  whether  we  live  therefore,  or 
die,  we  are  the  Lord's."  He  showed  that  it  is  essen 
tial  to  the  character  of  true  Christians  to  be  devoted 
to  Christ,  in  life  and  in  death;  that  it  is  peculiarly 
the  duty  of  Christian  ministers  to  live  thus;  to  direct 


442  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

their  hearers  to  Christ  as  the  foundation  of  their  hope, 
to  engage  them  to  live  by  faith  in  him,  and  promote 
the  great  end  of  his  undertaking.  He  showed  that 
they  are  also  devoted  to  Christ  in  death ;  as  they  are 
sincerely  willing  to  die  for  Christ,  if,  in  the  course  of 
Providence,  they  should  be  called  to  it ;  and  further, 
as  they  are  desirous  that  Christ  may  be  honored  by 
their  dying  behavior,  recommending  him  to  those  who 
are  about  them,  and  solemnly  resigning  their  own 
souls  into  his  hands.  He  farther  showed  that  it  is 
the  happiness  of  true  Christians  to  be  the  care  of 
Christ  in  life  and  death ;  that  he  will  prolong  their 
lives,  and  continue  their  usefulness  as  long  as  he  sees 
it  good ;  that  he  will  also  take  care  of  them  in  the 
closing  scene,  adjusting  the  circumstances  of  it  so  as 
to  subserve  the  purposes  of  his  glory,  granting  them 
all  necessary  supports  in  death,  and  after  that,  giving 
them  eternal  life,  and  raising  them  up  at  the  last  day. 
The  last  public  religious  service  in  which  he  par 
ticipated  was  on  July  18,  at  the  ordination  of  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Adams  at  Bewdley,  in  Worcestershire.  It 
seemed  a  fitting  close  to  the  public  career  of  this  dis 
tinguished  educator  of  young  ministers.  It  was  a 
service  from  which  his  enfeebled  strength,  as  indi 
cated  in  his  pallid  countenance  and  trembling  voice, 
should  have  excused  him ;  but  having  promised  his 
assistance  some  weeks  before,  he  was  unwilling  to  be 
absent,  or  to  remain  silent  on  an  occasion  to  him  so 
deeply  interesting.  His  earnest  and  humble  spirit  is 
shown  in  the  brief  letter  which  he  previously  wrote 
in  relation  to  it:  "I  am  at  present  much  indisposed. 
My  cough  continues,  and  where  it  may  end  God  only 


HIS  LAST  DA 

knows.  I  will,  however,  struggle  hartt  to  come  to 
Bewdley,  that  I  may  be  fitter  to  serve  Christ  if  I  live, 
or  to  go  and  enjoy  him  if  I  die.  I  can  write  but  lit 
tle  ;  help  me  with  your  prayers.  My  unworthiness  is 
greater  even  than  my  weakness,  though  that  be  great. 
Here  is  my  comfort,  the  '  strength  of  Christ '  may  per 
haps  be  '  made  perfect  in  weakness.' " 

From  Bewdley  Dr.  Doddridge  passed  on  to  Shrews 
bury,  the  residence  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Orton,  his  belov 
ed  pupil.  Here  he  spent  several  weeks  in  entire 
seclusion  from  company,  and  from  business ;  and  tak 
ing  exercise  in  the  open  air.  But  his  absent  friends 
forgot  him  not:  letters  of  the  most  affecting  tender 
ness  and  sympathy  poured  in  upon  him  from  all  quar 
ters,  from  which  we  select  a  few  that  will  be  read 
with  deep  and  mournful  interest. 

From  the  Rev.  John  Barker. 

"August5,  1751. 

"Leesingham,  Neal,  and  Barker,  are  too  nearly 
interested  in  that  precious  life,  which  now  appears  in 
danger  of  being  cut  off  in  the  midst  of  its  days,  to 
hear  of  its  waste  and  languishment  without  great  con 
cern  and  fervent  prayer  to  God.  How  your  letter 
affected  my  heart  in  public,  your  friends  are  witnesses ; 
but  what  I  felt  for  my  brother,  and  the  ministers  and 
churches  of  Christ,  God  and  myself  only  know. 

"  I  will  not  now  say,  Why  did  you  not  spare  your 
self  a  little  sooner  ?  I  will  rather  heartily  thank  you 
that  you  use  all  the  means  you  can  to  repair  your 
frame,  and  restore  and  prolong  your  usefulness.  It 
is  the  kindest  thing  you  can  do,  and  the  highest  in- 


444  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

stance  of  friendship  you  can  now  show  us ;  and  I  ac 
knowledge  your  goodness  to  us  on  this  point  with 
tears  of  joy.  Consent  and  choose  to  stay  with  us  a 
lit  tie  longer,  my  dear  friend,  if  it  please  God.  This 
is  not  only  needful  to  Northampton  and  its  adjacent 
towns  and  villages,  but  desirable  to  us  all,  and  bene 
ficial  to  our  whole  interest.  Stay,  Doddridge,  Oh 
stay,  and  strengthen  our  hands,  whose  shadows  grow 
long.  Fifty  is  but  the  height  of  vigor,  usefulness,  and 
honor.  Do  not  take  leave  abruptly.  Providence 
hath  not  yet  directed  thee  on  whom  to  drop  thy  man 
tle.  Who  shall  instruct  our  youth,  fill  our  vacant 
churches,  animate  our  associations,  and  diffuse  a  spirit 
of  piety,  moderation,  candor,  and  charity  through  our 
villages,  and  a  spirit  of  prayer  and  supplication  into 
our  towns  and  cities,  when  thou  art  removed  from  us  j 
especially,  who  shall  unfold  the  sacred  oracles,  teach 
us  the  meaning  and  use  of  our  Bibles,  rescue  us  from 
bondage  of  systems,  party  opinions,  empty,  useless 
speculations,  and  fashionable  forms  and  phrases,  and 
point  out  the  simple,  intelligible,  consistent  religion 
of  our  Lord  and  Saviour?  Who  shall — but  I  am 
silenced  by  the  voice  of  Him  who  says,  'Shall  I  not 
do  what  I  will  with  mine  own?  Is  it  not  my  pre 
rogative  to  take  and  leave,  as  seemeth  me  good  ?  I 
demand  the  liberty  of  disposing  of  my  own  servants 
at  my  own  pleasure.  He  hath  labored  more  abun 
dantly.  His  times  are  in  my  hand.  He  hath  not  slept 
as  do  others.  He  hath  risen  to  nobler  heights  than 
things  below.  He  hcpes  to  inherit  glory.  He  hath 
labored  for  that  which  endure th  to  eternal  life ;  labor 
which,  the  more  it  abounds,  the  more  it  exalts  and 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  445 

magnifies,  and  the  more  effectually  answers  and  secures 
its  end.  It  is  yours  to  wait  and  trust,  mine  to  dispose 
and  govern.  On  me  be  the  care  of  ministers,  and  of 
churches.  With  me  is  the  residue  of  the  Spirit.  Both 
the  vineyard  and  the  laborers  are  mine.  I  set  them 
to  work,  and  when  I  please,  I  call  them  and  give  them 
their  hire.7  With  these  thoughts  my  passions  sub 
side,  my  mind  is  softened  and  satisfied.  I  resign  thee, 
myself,  and  all,  to  God,  saying,  'Thy  will  be  done.' 

"  But  now  for  the  wings  of  faith  and  contempla 
tion.  Let  me  take  thy  hand,  my  dear  brother,  and 
walk  a  turn  or  two  in  yonder  spacious  regions.  Yes, 
it  is  so  :  we  read  it  in  the  book  of  God,  that  word  of 
truth,  and  gospel  of  our  salvation,  '  that  as  in  Adam 
all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive.' 
The  one  ruined  his  posterity  by  sin,  the  other  raised 
his  seed  to  immortality.  The  first  poisoned  the  dart, 
and  inflamed  the  wound  of  death ;  but  Jesus  Christ 
redeemed  us  from  this  captivity.  See,  thou  Christian 
minister,  thou  friend  of  my  bosom  and  faithful  servant 
of  God — see  the  important  period,  when  the  surprising 
signs  and  descending  inhabitants  of  heaven  proclaim 
the  second  coming  of  our  divine  Saviour  \  the  heavens 
open  and  disclose  his  radiant  glory.  Hear  the  awak 
ening  trumpet ;  see  the  dead  in  Christ  arise  glorious 
and  immortal,  leave  corruption,  weakness,  and  dis 
honor  behind  them,  and  behold  their  Lord  and  Head 
seated  on  his  throne  of  judgment,  attended  and  sur 
rounded  with  the  ministers  of  his  power,  and  shining 
in  all  the  fulness  of  celestial  glory ;  and  not  only  see. 
but  share  his  victory,  and  partake  of  his  image  and 
influence.  And  behold  the  demolished  fabric  reared 


446  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

again,  stately,  illustrious,  and  permanent,  to  demon 
strate  how  entirely  death  is  vanquished,  its  ruins  re 
paired,  and  what  was  once  food  for  worms  become  the 
companion  of  angels ;  for  when  this  corruptible  shall 
have  put  on  incorruption,  and  this  mortal  immortali 
ty,  every  eye  will  be  fixed  on  the  mighty  Conqueror, 
and  every  voice  and  harp  be  tuned  for  that  transport 
ing  song,  '  Oh  death,  where  is  thy  sting  ?  Oh  grave, 
where  is  thy  victory?'  Yes,  Doddridge,  it  is  so. 
The  fruit  of  our  Redeemer's  sufferings  and  victory  is 
the  entire,  the  eternal  destruction  of  sin  and  death. 
And  is  it  not  a  glorious  destruction — a  blessed  ruin  ? 
No  enemy  so  formidable,  no  tyranny  so  bitter,  no  fet 
ters  so  heavy  and  galling,  no  prison  so  dark  and  dis 
mal,  but  they  are  vanquished  and  disarmed ;  the  un 
erring  dart  is  blunted  and  broken,  the  prison  pulled 
down,  and  our  Lord  is  risen  as  the  first-fruits  of  them 
that  slept. 

"  How  glad  should  I  be  to  hear  that  God  is  pleased 
to  prolong  your  life  on  earth  to  declare  these  glorious 
truths,  and  teach  us  to  improve  them.  In  this,  your 
friends,  with  you,  and  many  more  in  every  place,  join, 
and  make  it  their  common  petition  to  the  great  Dis 
poser  of  all  events.  Use  every  means  you  can  for  the 
recovery  of  your  health,  for  the  sake  of  your  friends, 
among  whom  is  your  faithful  and  affectionate, 

"J.  BARKER." 

When  Dr.  Doddridge  received  this  letter,  he  was 
at  Shrewsbury  for  the  benefit  of  a  change  of  air,  and 
an  entire  recess  from  business  and  company ;  and  Mr. 
Orton  tells  us,  that  he  was  so  affected,  and  melted 
into  tears  of  gratitude  and  joy  with  the  friendship 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  447 

expressed  in  it,  and  the  divine  consolations  which  it 
administered,  that  he  was  apprehensive  his  tender 
frame  would  have  sunk  under  the  emotion. 

From  Nathaniel  Neal,  Esq. 

"  August  6,  1751. 

"  I  did  not  receive  your  favor  till  Saturday,  when 
it  met  me  at  Clapham.  The  next  morning  being  Sun 
day,  I  communicated  the  contents  as  far  as  they  re 
lated  to  the  state  of  your  health  and  spirits,  to  Mr. 
Barker,  before  he  went  into  the  pulpit.  You  may  be 
sure  that  we  are  all  greatly  affected  with  the  danger 
that  threatens  a  life  so  universally  desirable,  and  to 
us  so  peculiarly  endeared;  and  our  invaluable  friend 
dissolved  not  only  us,  but  a  great  part  of  his  numerous 
audience  into  tears,  by  the  almost  inspired  eloquence 
with  which  he  offered  up  strong  pleas  and  cries  for 
your  support  and  revival,  to  Him  who  is  able  to  de 
liver  from  death.  God  grant  our  supplications  may 
be  effectual  as  they  are  unfeigned  and  continual ;  and 
if  the  mercy  be  delayed,  may  divine  consolations  in 
the  meantime  descend  upon  you.  I  trust  in  God  they 
may  be  heard,  and  that  many  years  will  yet  be  added 
to  so  important  a  life.  To  this  end,  my  dear  friend, 
I  beseech  you  not  to  think  of  returning  to  Northamp 
ton,  even  though  you  should  receive  all  imaginable 
benefit  at  Shrewsbury  in  the  ensuing  fortnight,  till 
you  have  visited  Bristol;  and  in  preparing  for  that 
expedition,  I  conceive  no  time  should  be  lost,  as  the 
season  for  the  waters,  as  well  as  of  the  year,  is  so  far 
advanced.  I  should  tremble  for  your  return  to  North 
ampton  at  present,  notwithstanding  some  encouraging 
symptoms;  for  a  relapse  could  hardly  fail  of  being 


448  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

fatal,  and  in  such  a  circumstance  would  be  almost 
certain,  considering  your  various  engagements  and  ac 
tive  temper.  The  examination  is  not  worth  a  thought, 
and  if  my  advice  might  be  offered,  I  should  wish  it 
turned  into  a  day  of  prayer  for  your  recovery.  How 
ever  that  may  be,  Mr.  Clarke,  I  am  persuaded,  is  able 
to  do  what  is  fully  sufficient ;  and  I  should  much  rath 
er  hear  the  academy  was  disbanded,  than  that  you 
should  read  a  single  lecture  between  this  and  Michael 
mas.  In  one  word,  your  whole  duty  to  God  and  man 
is  comprehended  in  the  care  of  your  health. 

"  The  cheerfulness  of  your  mind  will  afford  great 
satisfaction  to  your  friends,  and  do  honor  to  religion ; 
and  I  consider  Mrs.  Doddridge's  confirmed  health, 
whereby  she  is  capable  of  ministering  unto  you  under 
your  infirmities,  as  a  matter  of  great  thankfulness. 
May  she  receive  the  best  direction  and  support.  I 
rejoice  that  she  has  with  her  so  faithful  and  able  a 
friend  as  Mrs.  Orton,  to  whom  I  beg  the  tender  of  my 
best  respects. 

"  We  all  salute  you  with  the  tenderest  affection, 
considering  ourselves  also  as  on  the  borders  of  eter 
nity,  and  referring  it  to  divine  wisdom,  whether  we 
are  to  learn  to  die  by  the  gentler  lessons  of  your  re 
peated  instructions,  or,  once  for  all,  by  your  great 
example." 

While  he  continued  at  Bristol  some  of  the  princi 
pal  persons  of  his  congregation  visited  him,  with  an 
affection  not  to  be  expressed  5  they  brought  him  an 
assurance  of  the  highest  esteem  and  tender  sympathy 
of  his  people,  and  informed  him  that  prayer  was  made 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  449 

for  him  by  that  church  three  evenings  in  every  week, 
and  that  some  other  churches  were  engaged  in  the 
same  work  on  his  account.  This  afforded  him  great 
satisfaction  and  refreshment.  He  knew  their  prayers 
would  not  be,  upon  the  whole,  in  vain,  though  he  con 
sidered  his  life  as  hopeless,  and  said,  that  unless  God 
should  interpose  in  such  an  extraordinary  manner  as 
he  had  no  reason  to  expect,  he  could  not  long  continue 
in  the  land  of  the  living.  He  ascribed  to  the  efficacy 
of  the  prayers  of  his  friends  the  composure  and  joy 
he  felt  in  his  own  soul,  and  the  preservation  of  Mrs. 
Doddridge's  health  amid  incessant  fatigue  and  anx 
iety. 

It  was  judged  expedient,  as  we  have  already  seen, 
that  Dr.  Doddridge  should  repair  to  Bristol,  to  try 
the  efficacy  of  the  hot  wells ;  and  there  he  received 
most  affectionate  attentions  and  sympathy  from  a  cler 
gyman  of  the  Establishment,  and  from  other  friends. 
The  waters  affording  him  no  relief,  and  the  physicians 
intimating  to  him  the  almost  hopeless  condition  of  his 
health,  he  received  their  unfavorable  report  with  that 
cheerful  fortitude  and  resignation  which  remained 
with  him  to  the  last  moment.  Illustrations  of  this 
fact  are  abundant  in  Orton's  memoir  of  him ;  for  ex 
ample,  "  While  the  outward  man  was  so  sensibly  de 
caying  that  he  used  to  say  to  his  friends, '  I  die  daily/ 
the  inward  man  was  renewed  day  by  day.  The 
warmth  of  his  devotion,  zeal,  and  friendship  was  main 
tained  and  increased.  His  physicians  had  directed 
him  to  write  and  speak  as  little  as  possible,  but  he 
could  not  satisfy  himself  without  sometimes  writing  a 
few  lines  to  some  of  his  friends  whom  he  could  ad- 


450  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

dress  in  shorthand  without  much  fatigue.  The  frame 
of  his  heart  in  view  of  death  will  appear  in  the  fol 
lowing  extract: 

"  I  see  indeed  no  hope  of  recovery,  yet  my  heart 
rejoiceth  in  my  God,  and  in  my  Saviour,  and  I  can 
call  him,  under  this  failure  of  every  thing  else,  its 
strength  and  everlasting  portion.  I  must  now  thank 
you  for  your  heart-reviving  letter  to  strengthen  my 
faith,  to  comfort  my  soul,  and  to  assist  me  in  swallow 
ing  up  death  in  victory.  God  hath,  indeed,  been  won 
derfully  good  to  me ;  but  I  am  less  than  the  least  of  his 
mercies,  less  than  the  least  of  his  children.  Adored 
be  his  grace  for  whatever  it  hath  wrought  by  me ;  and 
blessed  be  you  of  the  Lord  for  the  strong  consolations 
you  have  been  the  instrument  of  administering.  Let 
me  desire  you  to  write  again,  and  to  pour  out  your 
heart  freely  with  all  its  strong  cordial  sentiments  of 
Christianity.  Nothing  will  give  me  greater  joy. 
What  a  friend  you  will  be  in  heaven!  How  glad 
shall  I  be  to  welcome  you  there,  after  a  long  and 
glorious  course  of  service  to  increase  the  lustre  of 
your  crown !  May  you  long  shine,  with  your  light, 
warmth,  and  influence,  when  there  remain  not  any 
united  particles  of  that  poor,  wasting,  sinking  frame, 
which  enables  this  immortal  spirit  to  call  itself  your 
friend  in  everlasting  bonds." 

About  this  period  Mrs.  Doddridge  received  a  most 
delicate  and  touching  letter  of  sympathy  from  Robert 
Crittenden,  Esq.,  a  gentleman  in  London,  the  author 
of  several  well-known  hymns,  and  whose  hospitality 
gathered  many  eminent  Christian  gentlemen  around 
him.  We  give  only  an  extract : 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  451 

"  I  long  to  see  Mm  once  more  before  he  puts  on 
his  robes  of  immortality,  and  from  the  best,  the  dear 
est  of  men,  commences  a  perfect  spirit.  Oh,  could  I 
have  thought,  when  I  took  my  leave  of  him  at  St.  Al- 
bans,  that  it  was  to  be  the  last  time  I  should  ever  see 
my  dear,  my  honored  friend,  I  should  have  better 
employed  the  hours  we  were  alone  in  our  journey 
thither.  Now,  madam,  all  I  want  is  your  leave  to 
wait  on  him  once  more.  I  long  to  receive  his  dying 
blessing,  but  would  not  purchase  that  satisfaction  by 
giving  him  one  uneasy  moment,  or  hastening  a  loss 
which  I  think  I  could  sacrifice  my  own  worthless  life 
to  prevent.  He  loved  me,  madam,  though  I  know  not 
why,  and  perhaps  my  name  is  not  quite  a  stranger  to 
his  dying  bed.  Amid  the  glories  that  are  opening 
upon  him,  perhaps  he  still  pities  the  distress  of  those 
he  leaves  behind;  and  surely,  if  distress  can  excite 
compassion,  not  one  of  all  his  numerous  friends  has  a 
stronger  claim." 

The  Rev.  Daniel  Neal,  a  correspondent  and  friend 
of  Dr.  Doddridge,  was  a  man  of  considerable  distinc 
tion  in  his  day.  He  was  born  in  London  in  1678, 
and  after  receiving  an  excellent  education  in  England 
and  Holland,  he  became  in  1706  pastor  of  a  church  in 
London,  where  his  congregation  so  increased  as  to 
be  compelled  to  remove  to  a  larger  house  of  worship. 
His  first  publication  from  the  press  was  "  The  History 
of  New  England,"  which  excited  great  interest.  He 
was  the  author  of  the  well-known  "History  of  the 
Puritans,"  and  the  father  of  Mr.  Nathaniel  Neal  of 
the  Million  Bank,  who  was  one  of  Mr.  Coward's 


452  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

trustees,  and  also  a  friend  and  correspondent  of  Dod- 
dridge. 

From  Nathaniel  Neal,  Esq. 

"  TUNBRIDGE  WELLS,  Sept.  1,  1751. 

"  I  feel  a  struggle  in  my  breast  while  I  deliberate 
whether,  considering  the  feeble  state  of  your  health,  I 
should  break  or  keep  silence ;  but  such  is  the  officious- 
ness  of  friendship,  anxious,  though  impotent  to  afford  re 
lief,  that  inquiry  must  be  made  after  an  afflicted  friend, 
though  at  some  hazard  of  disturbing  his  slumbers. 

"  How  affected  we  all  were — in  which  number  I 
include  Mr.  Barker  and  his  lady,  for  in  our  love  and 
in  our  distress  for  you  we  are  all  one — with  those  vari 
ous  events  which  befell  you  in  your  progress  to,  and 
on  your  arrival  at  Bristol,  I  choose  not  to  mention  • 
yet  I  trust  in  God  it  will  be  seen  in  the  issue,  that  it 
was  the  kind  hand  of  his  providence  that  conducted 
you  thither,  as  to  the  waters  of  life;  for  though  to 
you  it  were  a  matter  of  choice  not  to  revive  at  all  till 
you  obtain  a  part  in  the  better  resurrection,  yet  in 
compassion  for  us,  in  compassion  for  the  world,  it  is 
my  daily  prayer — forgive  me  this  wrong — that  you  may 
not  yet  increase  the  number  and  enhance  the  triumphs 
of  the  blessed.- 

"  I  persuade  myself,  my  dear  friend,  that  you  have 
left  all  your  cares,  as  well  as  all  your  business,  at 
Northampton,  and  that  you  will  be  inaccessible  to 
every  uninvited  guest.  Ceremony  is  the  bane  of  soli 
tude  ;  and  even  the  draught  of  pious  and  cheerful 
converse  should  be  taken  in  measure,  when  the  appe 
tite  of  the  soul  is  so  eager,  and  every  kind  of  exercise 
has  been  found  so  fatal. 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  453 

"  I  presume  you  know  before  this  time  that  the 
examination  of  your  pupils  on  Monday  last,  as  far  as 
was  consistent  in  your  absence,  proceeded  with  signal 
honor  to  Mr.  Clarke,  and  satisfaction  to  the  trustees, 
of  which  Mr.  Price  has,  by  letter,  since  his  return, 
given  me  a  most  obliging  account.  But  whence  have 
you  your  remittances  to  Bristol?  The  settling  ac 
counts  is  a  trouble  of  which  you  should  now  be  eased ; 
I  desire  therefore,  that  either  you  or  Mrs.  Doddridge 
will  draw  on  me  for  any  sum  you  want,  without  any 
other  ceremony  than  advising  me  of  it  by  a  line ;  or  if 
you  can  devise  any  other  method  to  prove  my  friend 
ship,  it  will  be  a  kind  relief  to  one  who  is  oppressed 
under  a  sense  of  his  inability,  in  this  season  of  diffi 
culty,  to  do  you  service. 

"  And  now,  my  dear  friend,  though  I  am  no  advo 
cate  for  the  sleeping  of  the  soul,  yet  methinks  I  could 
wish  that  you,  who  are  all  soul,  having  so  nearly  worn 
out  the  frail  vehicle  in  its  service,  could  for  a  while 
suspend  the  thinking  power,  that  the  body  might  have 
time  to  revive.  We  all  submit  to  deny  ourselves  the 
expectation  of  hearing  from  you,  that  the  time  a  letter 
would  cost  you  may  be  devoted  to  rest.  A  line  from 
any  hand  will  satisfy  us,  if  you  are  better ;  if  other 
wise,  a  word  will  be  more  than  we  can  well  support. 
Compliments  are  vain  while  you  possess  our  hearts; 
and  as  for  Mrs.  Doddridge,  while  as  ministering  to 
you  she  shares  the  office,  may  she  partake  of  the  re 
freshment  of  angels. 

"  Adieu.  Be  God  ever  with  you ;  which  is  the 
most  comprehensive  good  that  can  be  wished  you." 


454  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

To  Miss  Doddridge. 

"BRISTOL  WELLS,  Sept.  4, 1751. 

"  I  thank  my  dear  Polly  for  her  affectionate  letter 
and  prudent  care  of  my  affairs ;  and  I  thank  God  that 
I  have  such  a  daughter.  I  can  write  but  little,  but  I 
give  you  the  pleasure  of  telling  you  that  I  am  really 
and  certainly  a  little  better,  and  that  I  have  great 
hopes  that  God  will  hear  the  many  prayers  offered, 
and  conduct  me  home  in  due  time  with  joy.  In  the 
mean  while  let  us  leave  ourselves  with  God,  submit  to 
his  providence,  and  hope  in  his  mercy. 

"  Present  my  most  affectionate  love  to  your  dear 
brother,  and  dear  Mercy  and  Celia,  in  which  your 
mamma  joins.  I  cannot  say  with  what  endearments 
I  am  yours." 

Soon  after  the  above  was  written,  and  indeed  pre 
viously,  it  was  apparent  to  the  physicians  and  other 
friends  of  Dr.  Doddridge,  that  the  only  hope  for  im 
provement  of  health,  or  for  the  prolongation  of  his 
precious  life,  was  to  be  found  in  a  resort  to  a  warmer 
climate.  It  was  proposed  to  him  to  take  a  voyage  to 
Lisbon.  The  principal  objection  in  his  mind  was  the 
great  expense  to  which  it  would  subject  him,  and  which 
he  felt  he  was  unable  to  provide  for.  "  He  doubted 
whether,  with  so  precarious  a  hope  of  its  being  bene 
ficial  to  him,  he  should  pursue  it;  when  his  family, 
which,  in  case  of  his  decease,  would  be  but  slenderly 
provided  for,  would  suffer  so  much  by  the  expense  of 
the  voyage.  It  will  appear,  I  hope,  to  every  consider 
ate  reader,  a  glorious  circumstance  in  the  doctor's  life, 
that  it  was  sacrificed  to  the  generous  disinterested  ser- 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  455 

vice  of  his  great  Master,  and  benevolence  to  mankind ; 
that,  with  the  advantages  of  a  genius  and  qualifica 
tions  equal  to  the  highest  advancement  in  the  Estab 
lishment,  and  without  being  chargeable  with  want  of 
economy,  he  should  find  himself  under  the  necessity 
of  preserving  the  little  remainder  of  his  life  by  an 
expense  disproportionate  to  the  provision  made  for 
his  family,  dear  to  him  as  his  own  life." 

It  will  soon  appear,  however,  that  this  objection 
was  most  courteously  set  aside  by  the  liberality  of  a 
few  friends,  as  soon  as  it  was  known  that  the  state 
of  his  health  demanded  the  expense  of  a  journey  to  the 
sunny  land  of  Portugal. 

From  Mr.  Williams. 

"  KIDDERMINSTER,  Sept.  2,  1751. 

"  Whither  you  are  going  perhaps  I  shall  not  fol 
low  you  just  now,  but  I  trust,  through  the  riches  of 
adorable  grace,  I  shall  follow  you  hereafter.  I  am 
grieved  for  myself,  and  for  many  dear  friends,  for  the 
church  militant,  and  particularly  for  your  own  dear 
charge,  and  most  sensibly  of  all,  for  dear  Mrs.  Dod- 
dridge  and  your  children.  But  I  dare  to  congratu 
late  you,  dear  saint,  that  having  fought  a  good  fight, 
you  are  so  near  the  end  of  your  course,  and  will  quick 
ly  receive  a  glorious  crown.  I  rejoice  that  your  even 
ing  sun  has  no  cloud.  God  is  faithful.  Those  who 
know  his  name  will  put  their  trust  in  him.  Jesus,  our 
almighty  friend,  is  full  of  compassion,  is  afflicted  in  all 
your  affliction,  and  will  not  fail  to  succor  you  in  the 
darkest  hour.  Human  nature,  perhaps,  cannot  be  quite 
fearless  of  approaching  dissolution ;  but  faith  will  ob 
tain  the  victory.  God  sees  fit  to  hold  his  dear  chil- 


456  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

dren  in  a  state  of  dependence  to  the  last;  but  the 
grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  sufficient  for  you, 
and  will  be  ever  near.  You  have  had  many  a  Pisgah 
view;  and  if  it  be  best,  you  shall  have  another,  a 
clearer  than  ever  yet,  before  you  pass  Jordan.  And 
doubt  not,  my  dear  sir,  but  He  who  cut  off  the  waters 
from  before  the  ark,  and  caused  his  chosen  people  to 
pass  dry-shod  into  Canaan,  can  do  as  much  for  you. 

"  It  will  be  the  joy  of  my  heart  to  hear  you  had  a 
triumphant  passage  into  the  everlasting  kingdom  of 
our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  It  will  also  be 
the  joy  of  my  heart  if  I  may  have  opportunity  and 
ability  any  way  to  serve  and  promote  the  interests  of 
your  dear  surviving  relatives.  And  it  shall  be  my 
daily  prayer  that  your  faith  may  not  fail.  But  I  am 
a  poor  intercessor.  It  is  well  you  have  many,  many 

others,  and  One  that  is  infinitely  better." 

i 

From  the  Rev.  W.  Warburton,  D.  D. 

"PRIOR  PARK,  Sept.  2,  1751. 

"  Your  kind  letter  gave  me,  and  will  give  Mr. 
Allen  great  concern;  but  for  ourselves,  not  you. 
Death,  whenever  it  happens,  in  a  life  spent  like  yours, 
is  to  be  envied,  not  pitied ;  and  you  will  have  the 
prayers  of  your  friends,  as  conquerors  have  the  shouts 
of  the  crowd.  (rod  preserve  you :  if  he  continues  you 
here,  to  go  on  in  his  service ;  if  he  takes  you  to  him 
self,  to  be  crowned  with  glory. 

"  Be  assured  the  memory  of  our  friendship  will  be 
as  durable  as  my  life.  I  order  an  inquiry  to  be  made 
of  your  health  from  time  to  time ;  but  if  you  fatigue 
yourself  any  more  in  writing,  it  will  prevent  me  that 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  457 

satisfaction.     I  am,  dear  sir,  your  most  affectionate 

friend  and  brother, 

«W.  WARBURTON." 

From  the  Rev.  Caleb  Ashworth  to  Mrs.  Doddridge. 

"LONDON,  Sept.  10,  1751. 

"  I  have  been  nearly  a  fortnight  in  town,  and  have 
scarcely  heard  any  news  inquired  for  but, '  How  is  Dr. 
Doddridge  ?'  You  will  believe  I  have  been  not  a  lit 
tle  pleased  with  the  concern  that  every  person  I  have 
met  with,  and  even  some  whom  I  suspected  of  being 
too  indifferent,  have  discovered.  It  was  indeed  a 
very  sensible  satisfaction  to  me,  not  only  as  a  proof  of 
respect  to  a  person  so  deservedly  dear  to  me,  but  also 
as  it  gave  encouragement  to  hope  that  God  would  hear 
those  prayers  which  his  people  seemed  disposed  so  uni 
versally  to  offer  on  this  account.  God  did  not  surely 
design  to  give  that  shock  to  our  faith  in  the  benefit  of 
prayer,  which  the  denial  of  those  addresses  would 
have  been  which  he  had  put  it  into  our  hearts  to  pre 
sent.  I  say  which  he  had  put  into  our  hearts ;  for 
though  we  could  never  part  with  Dr.  Doddridge  with 
out  great  reluctance,  I  do  verily  believe  there  was 
much  of  God's  influence  in  that  earnestness  which  we 
found  ourselves  inclined  to  use  upon  the  occasion. 

"  And  for  you,  dear  madam,  may  the  eternal  God 
be  your  support,  and  give  you  proportionable  strength 
under  all  the  sympathy  you  feel,  the  labors  you  are 
called  to  undertake,  and  the  fears  you  may  at  any 
time  have  occasion  to  entertain.  These  are  prayers 
daily  offered  up  with  unfeigned  importunity;  and 
which,  I  trust,  it  will  endear  the  methods  of  provi 
dence  to  me  to  find  answered. 

Do<!drid?e  20 


458  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

"  I  beg  my  cordial  salutations  to  the  doctor,  and 
that  you  will  tell  him  I  was  scarcely  ever  more  desir 
ous  to  see  my  own  father ;  and  that  I  feel  great  joy 
in  the  hope  of  meeting  him  at  Northampton,  and  of 
joining  my  brethren  in  praising  God  on  his  account, 
with  a  fervency  equal  to  that  with  which  we  united 
in  pouring  forth  our  hearts  in  prayer  for  him." 

From  Nathaniel  Neal,  Esq. 

"  TUNBEIDGE  WELLS,  Sept.  11,  1751. 

"Mr.  Johnson  came  into  Mr.  Barker's  lodgings 
with  your  letter  while  I  was  there  to-day  with  my 
family  at  dinner,  and  after  the  contents  of  it  had  been 
considered,  I  was  desired  to  put  our  united  opinion,  • 
which  you  know,  where  a  consultation  has  been  held, 
is  the  province  of  the  youngest,  into  writing. 

"  We  all  agree  that  the  single  point  which  must 
determine  the  expedience  of  your  making  trial  of  a 
warmer  climate,  is  the  probability  of  its  restoring  your 
health,  of  which  your  physicians  are  the  only  compe 
tent  judges.  The  accounts  you  have  had  of  its  suc 
cess  in  like  cases,  is  undoubtedly  a  strong  testimony 
in  favor  of  their  judgment ;  and  Mr.  Barker  mention 
ed  it  to  me  last  Sunday  as  what  he  apprehended  might 
prove  the  most  probable  means  of  your  speedy  and 
perfect  recovery. 

"  The  objections  arising  in  your  mind,  from  your 
connections  with  your  academy,  church,  or  family, 
must  not  be  suffered  to  deter  or  perplex  you.  If  we 
cannot  supply  your  place  for  six  months,  how  shall  we 
supply  it  if  you  go  to  the  world  from  which  there  is 
no  return?  Be  assured,  my  dear  friend,  that  so  far 
from  being  dismayed,  we  spring  forward  in  the  hope 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  459 

of  being  instrumental  in  keeping  alive  the  many  pre 
cious  interests  that  lie  near  your  heart,  till  you  return 
and  cherish  them  again  under  your  own  tender  wing. 
"  May  God  Almighty,  the  alone  all-sufficient  friend 
and  counsellor,  inspire  you  and  your  dear  lady  with 
wisdom  and  magnanimity  equal  to  every  emergency ; 
and  be  assured  that,  while  we  have  any  heart  or  breath 
remaining,  our  prayers  and  our  affections  will  follow 
you,  though  you  should  remove  to  the  ends  of  the 
earth." 

From  the  same. 

"  MILLION  BANK,  Sept.  21,  1751. 

"  I  pray  God  the  measure  advised  by  so  great  a 
body  of  the  college  may  be  as  successful  as,  with  such 
a  sanction,  it  was  apparently  irresistible. 

"  Your  provision  for  the  academy,  I  can  already 
assure  you,  is  very  satisfactory  to  Dr.  Jennings,  Mr. 
Price,  and  myself,  and  I  have  no  doubt  will  be  so  to 
Dr.  Guyse,  to  whom  I  shall  communicate  it  the  first 
opportunity.  We  had  a  meeting  on  the  day  before 
your  last  letter  arrived ;  at  which  the  trustees  unani 
mously,  and  with  the  warmest  affection,  agreed  to 
desire  your  acceptance  of  thirty  guineas,  as  a  present 
towards  your  expenses  at  Lisbon,  and  in  your  voyage 
thither. 

"  And  now,  my  dear  friend,  I  cheerfully  accept  the 
office  of  your  banker  and  steward ;  and  though  I  un 
dertake  for  nothing  more,  yet,  from  the  generous  ardor 
many  of  your  friends  express  towards  you,  do  not 
despair  of  receiving  your  stock  entire,  if  it  be  the  will 
of  God  that  you  return  to  us  again.  You  go  with  a 
full  gale  of  prayer,  and  I  trust  we  shall  stand  ready 


460  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

on  the  shore  to  receive  you  back  with  shouts  of  praise. 
But  it  becomes  us  also  to  be  prepared  for  a  more  aw 
ful  event ;  and  I  think  it  needful  to  desire  you  to  tell 
Mrs.  Doddridge,  though  God  forbid  the  hand  should 
wound  that  fain  would  heal,  that  we,  as  it  were,  for 
get  you,  I  had  almost  said  forget  ourselves,  while  we 
think  of  her ;  that  she  is  heir  to  every  heart  that  is  yet 
yours ;  above  all,  that  she  is  sure  of  an  interest  in  that 
God  whose  arms  are  everlasting,  whose  presence  is 
universal,  and  whose  compassions  never  fail.  He  is 
the  Creator  of  the  ends  of  the  earth,  who  fainteth  not, 
neither  is  weary,  and  there  is  no  searching  his  under 
standing.  Oh,  sir,  the  time  is  hastening  when  these 
ways  of  his,  which  are  now  so  unsearchable,  shall  ap 
pear  to  have  been  marked  out  by  the  counsels  of  in 
finite  wisdom;  and  we,  who  may  be  left  longest  to 
lean  upon  and  support  one  another  by  turns  in  this 
weary  land,  shall  fix  our  feet  on  those  everlasting  hills 
where  our  joys  shall  never  leave  us,  nor  our  vigor  ever 
fail.  Then,  my  dear  friend,  may  we  be  one  in  that 
union  which  cannot  be  dissolved." 

From  Sir  George,  afterwards  Lord  Lyttelton, 

"  HAGLEY,  Oct.  5,  1751. 

"  My  concern  was  so  great  on  the  account  I  re 
ceived  from  the  Bishop  of  Worcester  of  your  ill  health, 
that  in  the  midst  of  my  grief  for  the  death  of  my  fa 
ther,  when  I  had  scarcely  performed  my  last  duties  to 
him,  I  wrote  to  you  at  Bristol,  which  letter,  I  find, 
you  never  received.  Indeed,  my  dear  friend,  there 
are  few  losses  I  should  more  sensibly  feel  than  yours, 
if  it  should  please  God  to  take  you  from  me;  but  I 
trust  he  will  be  so  gracious  to  your  family  and  your 


%  HIS  LAST  DAYS.  461 

friends  as  to  prolong  your  life,  and  defer  your  reward 
for  some  time  longer ;  and  I  am  persuaded  no  human 
means  can  be  found  better  than  those  which  have  been 
prescribed  to  you  of  removing  to  Lisbon,  and  passing 
the  winter  in  that  mild  climate ;  only  let  me  entreat 
you  to  lay  by  all  studies  while  you  are  there,  for  too 
much  application,  and  a  very  little  in  your  state  is 
too  much,  would  frustrate  the  benefit  which  we  may 
hope  from  the  change  of  air.  The  complying  with 
this  injunction  will  be  the  best  recompense  you  can 
make  Mrs.  Doddridge  for  all  the  obligations  you  owe 
to  her ;  and  if  I  have  any  authority  with  you,  as  I  flat 
ter  myself  I  have,  I  would  employ  it  all  to  enforce 
this  upon  you,  for  I  do  verily  think  your  life  may  de 
pend  on  it.  You  have  brought  on  your  disease  by  too 
continual  study  and  labor  in  your  spiritual  functions, 
and  an  entire  remission  of  mind  is  absolutely  neces 
sary  for  your  recovery.  I  therefore  request  it  of  you 
not  to  write  the  preface  to  Bower's  book,  it  will  do 
more  harm  to  you  than  good  to  him ;  the  merit  of  the 
work  will  bear  it  up  against  all  these  attacks ;  and  as 
to  the  ridiculous  story  of  my  having  discarded  him, 
the  intimate  friendship  in  which  we  continue  to  live 
will  be  a  sufficient  answer  to  that,  and  better  than 
any  testimony  formally  given. 

"  My  poor  father  met  death  with  so  noble  a  firm 
ness,  and  so  assured  a  hope  of  a  blessed  immortality, 
that  it  has  raised  our  thoughts  above  our  grief,  and 
fixed  them  much  more  on  the  example  he  has  left  us, 
than  on  the  loss  we  have  sustained.  It  is  also  a  com 
fort  to  us,  that  upon  his  body  being  opened,  as  he  or 
dered  it  should  be,  we  found  the  cause  of  his  violent 


462  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

pains  was  of  such  a  nature  as  death  alone  could  re 
move  or  relieve. 

"  Let  me  know  by  every  mail  how  you  do,  and 
depend  upon  it  that  if  Providence  shall  call  you  away 
to  the  crown  prepared  for  you,  nothing  in  my  power 
shall  be  wanting,  as  long  as  I  live,  to  show  the  affec 
tion  I  had  for  you  in  my  regard  to  your  widow  and 
family;  but  I  hope  your  life  will  be  preserved  for 
their  sake  to  be  an  ornament  to  the  Christian  church, 
and  a  support  of  religion  in  these  bad  times.  May 
God  Almighty  grant  it,  and  may  we  meet  again  with 
the  pleasure  which  friends  restored  to  each  other  feel 
after  so  alarming  a  parting.  But  if  that  be  denied, 
may  we  meet  in  the  next  world  to  part  no  more, 
through  His  power,  who  will,  I  trust,  blot  out  my  of 
fences,  and  make  me  worthy  to  be  a  partaker  with 
you  of  his  heavenly  kingdom." 

Deeply  was  the  sensitive  heart  of  Doddridge  af 
fected  by  the  various  evidences  of  sympathy  and  kind 
ness  on  the  part  of  his  numerous  friends,  which  led 
him  often  to  pour  out  his  earnest  thanksgivings  to 
God,  the  source  of  all.  "It  would  amaze  you,"  he 
writes,  "were  I  to  enumerate  the  appearances  of  divine 
providence  for  us,  in  raising  up  for  us  many  most  affec 
tionate  friends,  who  have  multiplied  the  instances  of 
their  civility  and  liberality  in  a  manner  that  has  been 
to  me  quite  wonderful.  This  is  a  great  encourage 
ment  to  me  to  follow  where  such  a  God  seems  evi 
dently  to  lead,  though  it  be  but  a  temporary  exile. 
Who  would  not  trust  and  hope  in  him  ?" 

It  is  worthy  of  record,  that  during  all  the  weeks 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  463 

and  months  of  his  wearisome  and  painful  illness,  he 
exhibited  the  most  admirable  patience  and  cheerful 
ness.  He  uttered  no  complaints ;  breathed  not  a  syl 
lable  of  discontent ;  maintained  a  serene  and  heavenly 
temper;  obligingly  acknowledged  every  favor,  ren 
dered  even  by  servants,  and  showed  his  regard  for 
their  welfare  by  his  pious  counsels.  His  greatest 
source  of  trial  was  the  prohibition  of  conversation,  on 
account  of  the  diseased  state  of  his  lungs,  thus  cutting 
him  off  from  a  form  of  usefulness  in  which  he  delight 
ed,  and  greatly  excelled. 

On  Sept.  17, 1851,  Dr.  Doddridge  commenced  from 
Bristol  his  last  journey.  Ten  days  were  occupied  in 
reaching  Falmouth,  in  Cornwall,  owing  to  the  bad 
ness  of  the  roads,  unfavorable  weather,  and  his  own 
increasing  debility.  "  As  fancy  sees  the  falling  leaves 
and  rain,"  writes  Mr.  Stoughton,  "  and  hears  the  au 
tumnal  wind  of  that  year,  how  they  seem  to  drop  and 
sweep  with  sad  significance  round  the  old-fashioned 
chariot  and  four  which  bears  the  languid  frame  of  our 
dear  Doddridge  through  the  rough  wet  roads  of  Devon 
shire  ;  we  feel,  as  we  ride  along  with  him,  as  if  the 
hearse  were  not  far  behind.  Violent  symptoms  at  the 
place  of  embarkation  for  Lisbon  suggest  the  proposal, 
'  Shall  he  return  ?'  He  answers,  '  The  die  is  cast,  and 
I  choose  to  go.'  We  go  with  him  on  board  the  com 
modious  packet-boat  secured  for  him  by  his  friend 
Warburton,  and  as  we  are  touched  to  the  heart  by 
the  patience  of  the  sufferer,  we  are  equally  affected 
with  admiration  at  the  heroism  and  tenderness  of  the 
brave-hearted  woman,  his  faithful  wife." 

These  last  remarks  will  be  more  fully  appreciated 


464  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

by  attending  to  the  circumstance  that  the  intense  big 
otry  and  power  of  the  Komish  priests  in  Portugal  at 
that  period  were  well  understood,  and  that  should 
Dr.  Doddridge  become  known  to  them  as  a  Protes 
tant  minister,  and  as  the  author  of  the  evangelical 
writings  from  his  pen,  some  of  which  were  circulating 
in  Lisbon,  both  he  and  his  friends  might  suffer  greatly 
from  their  intolerance. 

His  last  letter  in  England,  which  was  written  at 
Falmouth,  possesses  a  peculiar  interest.  The  conclu 
sion  is  as  follows :  "  I  have  trespassed  a  great  deal  on 
your  time,  and  a  little  on  my  own  strength.  I  say  a 
little;  for  when  writing  to  such  a  friend,  as  I  seem 
less  absent  from  him,  it  gives  me  new  spirits,  and 
soothes  my  mind  agreeably.  Oh  when  shall  we  meet 
in  that  world  where  we  shall  have  nothing  to  lament, 
and  nothing  to  fear,  for  ourselves,  or  for  each  other, 
or  any  dear  to  us  ?  Let  us  think  of  this  as  a  moment 
ary  state,  and  aspire  more  ardently  after  the  blessings 
of  that.  If  I  survive  my  voyage,  a  line  shall  tell  you 
how  I  bear  it.  If  not,  all  will  be  well ;  and,  as  good 
Mr.  Howe  says,  I  hope  I  shall  embrace  the  wave,  that, 
when  I  intended  Lisbon,  should  land  me  in  heaven. 
I  am  more  afraid  of  doing  wrong  than  of  dying." 

His  last  Sabbath  in  England  was  passed,  and  on 
the  day  following,  Sept.  30,  he  embarked  for  Lisbon, 
amid  the  tearful  regrets  and  tender  farewells  of  affec 
tionate  friends,  and  was  soon  conveyed  from  the  shores 
of  his  native  land,  which  he  had  loved  and  adorned 
and  served  so  well.  The  change  of  scene,  the  pleasant 
sea-breeze,  and  a  delightful  frame  of  mind,  at  first  con 
tributed  greatly  to  his  bodily  comfort.  He  had  the 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  465 

privilege  of  occupying  the  cabin  of  the  captain,  who 
for  some  reason  did  not  go  on  the  present  voyage ; 
and  it  proved  a  Bethel,  the  house  of  God,  the  gate  of 
heaven.  To  his  wife  he  several  times  conveyed  the 
welcome  intelligence,  "  I  cannot  express  to  you  what 
a  morning  I  have  had ;  such  delightful  and  transport 
ing  views  of  the  heavenly  world  is  my  Father  now 
indulging  me  with  as  no  words  can  express."  Such 
gratitude  to  God  shone  in  his  devout  and  joyful  coun 
tenance,  as  brought  vividly  to  her  mind  a  stanza  in 
one  of  his  own  excellent  hymns : 

"  When  death  o'er  nature  shall  prevail, 
And  all  the  powers  of  language  fail ; 
Joy  through  my  swimming  eyes  shall  break, 
And  mean  the  thanks  I  cannot  speak." 

In  the  Bay  of  Biscay  the  vessel  was  detained  by  a 
calm  for  several  exceedingly  hot  days,  which  com 
pletely  prostrated  Dr.  Doddridge,  and  threatened 
almost  immediate  death ;  but  as  the  weather  changed, 
and  a  gentle  breeze  carried  the  vessel  forward  to  the 
Tagus,  he  revived,  and  was  enabled  to  survey  with 
high  gratification  its  romantic  banks  adorned  with 
olive-yards,  orange  groves,  and  vineyards,  until  Lis 
bon  was  reached,  extending  far  on  the  river,  and  cov 
ering  the  adjacent  hills.  The  landing  was  made  on 
the  Sabbath,  October  13, 1751.  On  the  next  day  he 
wrote  a  few  lines  to  his  assistant  at  Northampton, 
giving  a  brief  account  of  his  voyage,  describing  the 
magnificent  appearance  of  Lisbon  from  the  sea,  and 
some  of  the  objects  of  interest  observed  in  passing 
through  it.  After  an  allusion  to  his  own  great  weak 
ness  and  critical  state,  he  adds,  "  Nevertheless,  I  bless 
20* 


466  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

God  the  most  undisturbed  serenity  continues  in  my 
mind,  and  my  strength  holds  proportion  to  my  day. 
I  still  hope  and  trust  in  God,  and  joyfully  acquiesce 
in  all  he  may  do  with  me.  When  you  see  my  dear 
friends  of  the  congregation,  inform  them  of  my  cir 
cumstances,  and  assure  them  that  I  cheerfully  sub 
mit  myself  to  God — if  I  desire  life  may  be  restored, 
it  is  chiefly  that  it  may  be  employed  in  serving 
Christ  among  them ;  that  I  am  enabled  to  look  upon 
death  as  an  enemy  that  shall  be  destroyed ;  and  that 
I  can  cheerfully  leave  my  dear  Mrs.  Doddridge  a 
widow  in  this  strange  land,  if  such  be  the  appoint 
ment  of  our  heavenly  Father.  I  hope  I  have  done 
my  duty,  and  '  the  Lord  do  as  seemeth  good  in  his 
sight/" 

At  Lisbon  he  was  hospitably  entertained  by  an 
English  merchant,  whose  mother  was  connected  with 
his  congregation  at  Northampton,  and  had  received, 
together  with  some  of  her  relatives,  special  offices  of 
kindness  at  the  hands  of  Dr.  Doddridge,  so  that  he  was 
now  a  welcome  guest.  Here  he  was  glad  to  meet  with 
the  treatise  of  Dr.  Watts  "  On  the  Happiness  of  Sep 
arate  Spirits,"  calling  it  "  that  blessed  book ;"  in  the 
reading  of  which,  and  of  Dr.  Watts'  hymns,  and  of 
the  sacred  volume,  as  strength  was  given  him,  he  pass 
ed  many  a  delightful  hour.  Another  worthy  family, 
related  to  Mrs.  Doddridge,  and  which,  through  friends 
in  England,  had  been  apprized  of  his  visit  to  their 
city,  called  on  him,  and  offered  every  accommodation 
and  civility  in  their  power.  But  on  the  week  after 
his  arrival,  by  the  advice  of  his  physician,  he  was  re 
moved  to  a  retired  residence,  a  few  miles  from  Lisbon, 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  467 

for  the  benefit  of  air  and  exercise ;  the  rainy  season 
however,  coming  on  with  unusual  violence,  confined 
him  to  the  house,  and  hastened  his  disease  to  a  fatal 
crisis.  A  severe  diarrhoea  seized  him  on  the  24th  of 
October,  and  rapidly  exhausted  his  remaining  strength, 
yet  his  mind  retained  all  its  wonted  serenity,  cheerful 
ness,  and  joy.  To  his  devoted  wife,  who  constantly 
attended  upon  him,  he  said  that  it  had  been  his  ear 
nest  supplication  that  she  might  receive  divine  com 
fort  and  support ;  that  it  had  been  his  desire,  if  God 
so  willed,  to  remain  a  little  longer  on  earth  to  prose 
cute  the  work  of  his  beloved  Lord  and  Master;  but 
that  now  the  only  source  of  pain  to  him,  in  the  thought 
of  dying,  was  his  apprehension  of  the  distress  and 
grief  which  his  removal  would  occasion  her.  After  a 
brief  pause,  he  added,  "  But  I  am  sure  my  heavenly 
Father  will  be  with  you.  It  is  a  joy  to  me  to  think 
how  many  friends  and  comforts  you  are  returning  to. 
So  sure  am  I  that  God  will  be  with  you  and  comfort 
you,  that  I  think  my  death  will  be  a  greater  blessing 
to  you  than  my  life  hath  ever  been." 

He  requested  her  to  convey  to  his  children,  his 
people,  and  all  his  friends,  his  affectionate  remem 
brance,  and  expressed  most  benevolent  regards  for 
the  family  that  surrounded  him,  and  the  servant  that 
waited  upon  him.  He  renewed  his  covenant  engage 
ments  with  God,  and  expressed  a  cheerful  hope  of 
acceptance  through  divine  mercy,  in  the  blessed  Re 
deemer.  The  following  day  he  passed  in  gentle  sleep, 
which  continued  until  about  an  hour  before  his  disso 
lution,  on  October  26,  0.  S.,  1751. 

It  is  mentioned  by  Mr.  Orton,  as  a  circumstance 


468  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

which  afforded  much  satisfaction  to  Mrs.  Doddridge 
and  her  friends  at  Lisbon,  that  he  was  not  molested 
in  these  last  scenes,  as  they  feared  a  person  of  his 
profession  and  character  would  have  been,  by  any 
officious  priests  of  the  church  of  Rome;  who,  it  is 
well  known,  are  fond  of  intruding  on  such  occasions, 
and  had  been  the  means  of  adding  to  the  distress  of 
many  Protestant  families  in  Lisbon  and  its  environs, 
during  the  sickness  and  at  the  death  of  their  rela 
tions. 

It  had  been  the  long-cherished  desire  of  Dr.  Dod 
dridge  that  his  remains  should  rest  in  his  own  grave 
yard  at  Northampton ;  but  during  his  last  illness,  he 
represented  it  as  a  matter  of  personal  indifference, 
and  expressed  a  wish  that  wherever  he  should  die,  he 
might  be  buried,  and  thus  give  as  little  trouble  as 
possible  to  his  surviving  wife.  In  the  present  condi 
tion  of  things  the  removal  of  his  body  to  England 
would  have  been  attended  with  great  expense,  and  it 
was  decided  to  inter  it  in  the  burying-ground  belong 
ing  to  the  British  factory  at  Lisbon.  The  Lisbon 
earthquake  soon  followed,  but  his  grave  remains  to 
this  day ;  and  like  Henry  Martyn's  at  Tocat,  is  to  the 
Christian  traveller  a  little  spot  of  holy  ground.  A 
plain  monument  was  placed  over  his  grave.  In  1828 
a  beautiful  tribute  was  paid  to  his  memory  by  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Taylor,  in  causing  a  new  and  more  suitable  mar 
ble  monument  to  be  erected,  and  substituted  for  the 
other,  bearing  the  inscription, 

."  Philip  Doddridge,  D.  D.,  died  October  26th, 
1751,  aged  50." 

To  this  was  subjoined, 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  469 

"  With  high  respect  for  his  character  and  writings, 
this  stone  of  remembrance  was  raised  upon  a  former 
one  in  decay,  in  the  month  of  June,  1828,  at  the  desire 
and  expense  of  Thomas  Tayler,  of  all  his  numerous 
pupils  the  only  one  living." 

Duty  and  inclination  demand  that  we  should  here 
add  a  few  words  relating  to  this,  the  last  survivor  of 
Doddridge's  pupils,  who,  after  having  suffered  blind 
ness  for  several  years,  died  in  London,  in  November, 
1831,  in  his  ninety-seventh  year.  He  was  born  near 
Kidderminster  in  1735,  and  belonged  to  the  congre 
gation  of  the  excellent  Benjamin  Fawcett,  to  whom 
the  reader  has  been  already  introduced,  and  by  him 
was  sent,  at  fifteen  years  of  age.  to  study  for  the  min 
istry  under  Dr.  Doddridge/a  few  months  only  before 
the  death  of  that  eminent  man.  His  preparatory 
studies  for  the  ministry  were  completed  in  the  same 
institution,  though  removed  to  Daventry,  under  the 
direction  of  Dr.  Caleb  Ashworth,  who  had  succeeded 
Dr.  Doddridge  as  president  of  the  academy.  At  the 
close  of  his  studies  he  became  for  some  years  domestic 
chaplain  to  Mrs.  Abney  of  Stoke  Newington,  the 
daughter  of  the  Sir  Thomas  and  Lady  Abney  to  whom 
Dr.  Watts  was  so  much  indebted.  In  1766  Mr.  Tay 
ler  became  minister  of  the  dissenting  congregation  in 
Carter  lane,  London,  an  office  he  usefully  filled  till 
May,  1811,  when  he  resigned  the  pastoral  charge. 
Especially  in  the  closing  years  of  his  life  he  was  most 
ardently  attached  to  the  great  peculiarities  of  the  gos 
pel.  About  two  years  before  his  death,  in  conversa 
tion  with  the  late  Rev.  Dr.  Winter,  he  unbosomed  his 
soul.  That  gentleman  had  said,  "In  your  circum- 


470  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

stances  how  great  a  blessing  is  the  hope  of  the  gos 
pel."  His  reply  was,  "Yes.  and  I  can  truly  say  I 
rejoice  in  hope."  After  a  pause,  he  added,  "  But  it  is 
a  humble  hope,  I  have  no  dependence  on  myself.  It 
would  be  a  poor  hope  indeed,  if  it  were  to  rest  on  any 
thing  which  I  have  done  in  the  way  of  merit.  No ; 
all  my  hope  rests  on  the  mediation  and  sacrifice  of  my 
divine  Redeemer,  his  atoning  sacrifice.  Some  people 
profess  to  believe  in  the  atonement,  but  they  make  no 
use  of  it.  Now  I  look  on  the  priesthood  and  sacrifice 
of  the  Son  of  God  as  the  only  ground  to  support  those 
expectations  which  a  covenant  God  has  called  forth 
in  my  heart."  He  added,  "  Whoever  is  right,  I  am 
sure,  if  the  gospel  be  true,  Socinians  are  wrong.  And 
I  see  no  material  difference  between  them  and  Arians ; 
for  without  entering  into  minutiae  which  we  cannot 
understand,  Christ  and  the  Father  are  one;  and  the 
Saviour's  participation  of  the  divine  nature  is  that 
which  gives  efficacy  to  his  sacrifice."  He  then  ex 
claimed,  with  great  feeling,  "  Grace,  grace :  this  is 
the  sum  and  substance,  and  centre  and  source  of  sal 
vation."  On  another  occasion,  speaking  of  the  doc 
trine  of  the  atonement,  he  exclaimed, "  The  atonement ! 
why,  it  is  the  foundation  of  the  gospel,  the  key-stone 
of  the  arch,  the  only  consolation  of  a  poor  sinner. 
Oh  what  should  I  do  if  there  were  no  atonement  ?'; 
Speaking  to  his  own  church,  in  his  funeral-sermon  for 
Mr.  Tayler,  Dr.  Winter  referred  to  the  manner  in 
which  he  had  often  communed  with  them  at  the  Lord's 
supper :  "  With  what  deep  and  devout  feelings,  too 
much  for  his  enfeebled  frame,  he  joined  in  the  service, 
we  have  witnessed  with  sympathy  and  delight.  I  can 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  4T1 

never  lose  the  impression  produced  on  my  mind,  on 
hearing  him  as  he  sat  by  my  side,  with  feeble  lips  and 
a  faltering  voice,  but  with  peculiar  energy  of  devotion 
the  tears  trickling  down  his  cheeks,  join  in  singing,  at 
the  commemorative  table,  that  expressive  stanza, 

"'We  see  the  blood  of  Jesus  shed, 

Whence  all  our  hopes  arise ; 
The  sinner  views  the  atonement  made, 
And  loves  the  sacrifice.' " 

We  are  not  surprised  that  such  a  man  should  se 
lect,  as  the  text  of  his  funeral-sermon,  "  Christ  in  you 
the  hope  of  glory."  Col.  1 :  27. 


472  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

In  the  church  edifice  of  Dr.  Doddridge  at  North 
ampton,  a  handsome  monument  was  erected  at  the 
expense  of  the  congregation,  with  the  following  ap 
propriate  inscription,  prepared  by  his  greatly  esteem 
ed  friend  and  correspondent,  Gilbert  West,  Esq., 
LL.  D: 

(£0  th 


OF 

PHILIP  DODDRIDGE,  D.  D., 

TWENTY-ONE  YEARS  PASTOR  OF  THIS  CHURCH, 

DIRECTOR  OF  A  FLOURISHING  ACADEMY, 
AND  AUTHOR  OF  MANY  EXCELLENT  WRITINGS, 

BY  WHICH 

HIS  PIOUS,  BENEVOLENT,  AND  INDEFATIGABLE  ZEAL 

TO  MAKE  MEN  WISE,  GOOD,  AND  HAPPY, 

WILL  FAR  BETTER  BE  MADE  KNOWN, 

AND  PERPETUATED  MUCH  LONGER, 
THAN  BY  THIS  OBSCURE  AND  PERISHABLE  MARBLE  ; 

THE  HUMBLE  MONUMENT,  NOT  OF  HIS  PRAISE, 

BUT  OF  THEIR  ESTEEM,  AFFECTION,  AND  REGARD, 

WHO  KNEW  HIM,  LOVED  HIM,  AND  LAMENT  HIM, 

AND  WHO  ARE  DESIROUS  OF  RECORDING, 

IN  THIS  INSCRIPTION, 

THEIR  FRIENDLY  BUT  FAITHFUL  TESTIMONY 

TO  THE  MANY  AMIABLE  AND  CHRISTIAN  VIRTUES 

THAT  ADORNED   HIS  MORE   PRIVATE   CHARACTER; 

BY  WHICH,  THOUGH  DEAD,  HE  YET  SPEAKETH, 

AND  STILL  PRESENT  IN  REMEMBRANCE, 

FORCIBLY,  THOUGH  SILENTLY  ADMONISHETH 

HIS  ONCE  BELOVED  AND  EVER  GRATEFUL  FLOCK. 

HE  WAS  BORN  JUNE  26,  1702, 

AND  DIED  OCTOBER  26,  1751. 

AGED  50. 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  413 

In  person  Dr.  Doddridge  was  above  the  average 
standard  of  height,  thin,  and  inclined  to  stoop.  His 
voice  was  not  naturally  pleasant,  but  corresponded 
with  the  plain  and  manly  dignity  of  his  countenance. 
When,  however,  he  became  animated  in  conversation, 
or  interested  in  his  pulpit  discussions,  his  vivacity  and 
energy  commanded  general  attention.  Of  his  por 
trait,  taken  August  11,  1750,  about  fourteen  months 
before  his  decease,  he  writes,  "  Yesterday  my  picture 
was  finished,  and  a  good  picture  it  is,  though  I  think 
rather  too  young  and  handsome,  but  it  is  allowed  to 
be  in  the  main  a  good  likeness." 

An  early  opportunity  was  taken  by  the  bereaved 
widow  to  communicate  to  her  children  in  England  the 
tidings  of  their  irreparable  loss,  in  a  letter  which  does 
great  credit  alike  to  her  piety,  intellectual  culture, 
and  maternal  excellence : 

"  LISBON,  October,  1751. 

"Mr  DEAR  CHILDREN — How  shall  I  address  you 
under  this  awful  and  melancholy  providence !  I  would 
fain  say  something  to  comfort  you,  and  I  hope  God 
will  enable  me  to  suggest  what  may,  in  some  measure, 
alleviate  your  distress.  I  went  out  in  a  firm  depend 
ence,  that  if  infinite  Wisdom  pleased  to  call  me  out  to 
duties  and  trials  as  yet  unknown,  He  would  grant  me 
those  superior  aids  of  strength  that  would  support  and 
keep  me  from  fainting  under  them — persuaded  that 
there  was  no  distress  or  sorrow  into  which  he  could 
lead  me,  under  which  his  gracious  and  all-sufficient 
arm  could  not  support  me.  He  has  not  disappointed 
me,  nor  suffered  the  eyes  and  heart  directed  to  him 
to  fail.  *  God  all-sufficient  and  my  only  hope/  is  my 


474  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

motto  ;  let  it  be  yours.  Such  I  have  indeed  found 
him,  and  such  I  verily  believe  you  will  find  him,  in 
this  time  of  deep  distress. 

"Oh,  my  dear  children,  help  me  to  praise  him. 
Such  supports,  such  consolations,  he  has  granted  to 
one  of  the  meanest  and  most  unworthy  of  his  crea 
tures,  that  my  mind  is  at  times  held  in  perfect  aston 
ishment,  and  is  ready  under  its  exquisite  distress  to 
burst  out  into  songs  of  praise. 

"As  to  outward  comforts,  he  has  withheld  no  good 
thing  from  me,  but  has  given  me  all  the  supports  that 
the  tenderest  friendship  was  capable  of  affording  me, 
in  this  time  of  great  extremity,  and  which  I  think  my 
dear  Northampton  friends  could  hardly  have  exceed 
ed.  Their  prayers  are  not  lost,  and  I  doubt  not  but 
that  I  am  reaping  the  benefit  of  them,  and  I  hope  my 
dear  children  will  do  the  same.  Such  a  solicitude  of 
friendship  was  scarcely  ever  known  as  I  meet  with 
here ;  I  have  more  offers  of  kind  service  than  I  can 
employ,  and  it  seems  a  real  concern  to  many  that  they 
can  find  out  no  way  to  serve  me.  These  are  great 
honors  conferred  on  the  dear  deceased,  and  great 
comforts  to  me.  It  is  impossible  to  say  how  much 
these  mercies  are  endeared  by  coming  in  such  an  im 
mediate  manner  from  the  divine  hand.  To  his  name 
be  the  praise  and  glory  of  all.  And  now,  my  dear 
children,  what  shall  I  say  to  you? — ours  is  no  common 
loss;  I  mourn  the  best  of  husbands  and  friends,  re 
moved  from  our  world  of  sin  and  sorrow  to  the  re 
gions  of  immortal  life  and  glory.  What  a  mercy  is  it 
that  my  thoughts  are  enabled  with  joy  to  pursue  him 
thither.  You  have  lost,  my  dear  children,  the  dear- 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  475 

est  and  the  best  of  parents,  the  guide  of  your  youth, 
and  whose  pleasure  it  would  have  been  to  have  intro 
duced  you  with  advantage  into  the  world.  Great, 
indeed,  is  our  loss,  and  yet  I  really  think  the  loss  the 
public  have  sustained  is  still  greater.  I  am  ready  to 
say,  'The  glory  is  departed ;'  but  God  will  never  want 
instruments  to  carry  on  his  work.  Let  us  be  thank 
ful  that  God  ever  gave  us  such  a  friend,  and  that  he 
continued  him  so  long,  though  every  hour  and  day 
has  only  tended  the  more  to  endear  him  to  us.  In 
deed,  had  we  been  to  judge,  we  should  have  thought 
that  neither  we  nor  the  world  could  ever  less  have 
spared  him  than  at  the  present  time.  But  I  see  the 
hand  of  Heaven,  the  appointment  of  his  wise  providence 
in  every  step  of  this  awful  dispensation.  It  is  his 
hand  that  has  put  into  ours  this  bitter  cup ;  and  what 
does  he  now  expect  from  us?  a  meek,  humble,  and  en 
tire  submission  to  his  will :  we  know  this  is  our  duty ; 
let  us  pray  for  those  aids  of  his  grace  which  may  en 
able  us  to  attain  it.  A  father  of  the  fatherless  is  God 
in  his  holy  habitation.  As  such  may  our  eyes  be  di 
rected  to  him ;  he  will  support  and  comfort  you :  that 
he  may,  is  not  only  my  daily,  but  my  hourly  prayer. 

"We  have  never  deserved  so  great  a  good  as  that 
which  we  have  lost,  and  let  us  remember  that  the  best 
respect  we  can  pay  to  his  memory,  is  to  endeavor,  as 
far  as  we  can,  to  follow  his  example,  and  to  cultivate 
those  lovely  qualities  which  rendered  him  so  justly 
dear  to  us,  and  so  much  esteemed  in  the  world. 

"It  is  impossible  for  me  to  say  how  tenderly  my 
heart  feels  for  you  all,  how  much  I  long  to  be  with 
you,  to  comfort  and  assist  you.  Indeed,  this  is  the 


476  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

only  inducement  I  have  now  left  to  wish  for  life,  that 
I  may  do  what  lies  in  my  power  to  form  and  guide 
your  tender  youth.  For  this  purpose  I  take  all  pos 
sible  care  of  my  health,  eat,  drink,  sleep,  and  converse 
at  times  with  tolerable  cheerfulness.  You,  my  dear 
children,  as  the  best  return  you  can  make,  will  do 
the  same,  that  I  may  not  have  sorrow  upon  sorrow. 
The  many  kind  friends  you  have  around  you  will  not, 
I  am  sure,  be  wanting  in  giving  you  all  the  assistance 
and  comfort  in  their  power.  My  kindest  salutations 
attend  them  all. 

"I  hope  to  leave  this  place  in  about  fourteen  or 
twenty  days,  but  fear  that  I  cannot  reach  Northamp 
ton  in  less  than  six  weeks  or  two  months ;  may  God 
be  with  you,  and  give  us,  though  it  must  be  a  mourn 
ful,  yet  a  comfortable  meeting.  For  your  sake  I  trust 
my  life  will  be  spared ;  and  I  bless  God  my  mind  is 
under  no  painful  anxiety  as  to  the  difficulties  and 
dangers  of  the  voyage  before  me.  The  winds  and 
the  waves  are  in  his  hands,  to  whom  I  cheerfully  re 
sign  myself,  and  all  that  is  dearest  to  me.  I  know  I 
shall  have  your  prayers,  and  those  of  my  dear  friends 
with  you. 

"Farewell,  my  dear  children;  your  afflicted  but 
most  sincere  friend,  and  ever  affectionate  mother, 

"M.  DODDRIDGE." 

In  consequence  of  her  husband's  dying  abroad, 
Mrs.  Doddridge  lost  a  considerable  annuity  which  he 
had  provided  for  her  in  case  of  widowhood ;  but  among 
his  friends  in  London  a  subscription  was  promptly 
filled  through  the  kind  and  zealous  efforts  of  Mr. 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  477 

Neal,  which  secured  to  her  a  larger  sum  than  the 
annuity  which  had  been  forfeited. 

In  memory  of  Dr.  Doddridge,  one  of  his  later  pu 
pils,  the  Rev.  Henry  Moore,  prepared  a  poem,  which 
Mr.  Orton  in  his  Memoir  has  preserved,  and  which 
contains  the  following  lines  : 

"  Who  to  the  temple  of  eternal  truth 
Shall  guide  with  skilful  care  our  wandering  youth  ? 
O'er  darkened  science  shed  unclouded  day, 
And  strew  with  flowery  sweets  the  thorny  way  ? 
Quenched  is  our  prophet's  fire  :  those  lips  no  more 
Religion's  pure  and  sacred  treasures  pour  ; 
To  holy  rapture  wake  the  languid  frame, 
And  through  the  breast  impart  celestial  flame. 
No  more  o'er  guilty  minds  he  shakes  the  rod, 
Armed  with  the  awful  terrors  of  his  God  ; 
While,  chilled  with  horror,  starts  the  conscious  soul, 
And  hears  appalled  the  avenging  thunder  roll." 

In  the  diary  of  the  excellent  President  Davies, 
who  visited  England  in  1754,  on  behalf  of  the  college 
of  Princeton,  we  find  some  very  happy  references  to 
Dr.  Doddridge  and  his  amiable  widow.  In  August  of 
the  year  to  which  we  have  referred,  Dr.  Davies  says, 
"August  11,  preached  in  Dr.  Doddridge's  pulpit;  and 
the  sight  of  his  monument  with  a  very  significant  in 
scription,  struck  my  mind  with  uncommon  energy. 
The  congregation  is  decreased  since  the  doctor's 
death,  as  they  can  find  none  to  supply  his  place  fully. 
Monday,  went  in  company  with  Mr.  Warburton  and 
Mr.  Wilkinson  to  make  private  applications  among 
the  people,  and  received  about  sixteen  pounds,  of 
which  Mrs.  Doddridge  procured  me  three  guineas. 
Dined  with  her,  and  found  her  conversation  animated 


478  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

with  good  sense  and  piety.  She  remembered  me  as 
a  correspondent  of '  the  dear  deceased/  as  she  calls 
the  doctor,  and  treated  me  with  uncommon  friendship. 
I  was  surprised  that  she  could  talk  of  him  with  so 
much  composure,  notwithstanding  her  flowing  affec 
tions.  She  told  me  she  never  had  a  more  comfortable 
season,  than  when  returning  from  Lisbon,  on  the 
boisterous  ocean,  after  the  doctor's  death." 

Writing  the  day  after,  of  his  leaving  Northamp 
ton,  he  says,  "  Spent  an  hour  with  dear  Mrs.  Dod- 
dridge,  and  at  her  request,  parted  with  prayer, in  which 
I  found  my  heart  much  enlarged.  She  made  a  re 
mark  that  has  often  occurred  to  me  since,  that  'she 
rejoiced  that  the  dear  deceased  was  called  to  the  tri 
bunal  of  his  Master  with  a  heart  full  of  such  generous 
schemes  for  the  good  of  mankind,  which  he  had  zeal 
to  project,  though  not  life  to  execute.7  May  this  be 
my  happy  case." 

It  would  justly  be  regarded  as  a  great  deficiency, 
were  we  to  close  our  narrative  without  subjoining  at 
least  a  brief  sketch  of  the  subsequent  history  of  Dod- 
dridge's  family.  This  we  can  most  concisely  and  sat 
isfactorily  give  in  the  words  of  Mr.  Stoughton,  who, 
having  spoken  of  the  Christian  magnanimity  with 
which  Mrs.  Doddridge  bore  the  heavy  trial  laid  upon 
her  by  the  death  of  her  husband  in  a  land  of  stran 
gers,  adds : 

"She  soon  returned  to  her  desolate  house,  and  de 
voted  herself,  with  characteristic  energy  and  wisdom, 
to  the  formation  of  the  character  of  her  four  surviv 
ing  children.  They  had  from  their  infancy  been 
mainly  dependent  upon  her  instruction  and  influence, 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  479 

their  father's  numerous  public  engagements  having 
interfered  with  the  maintenance  of  much  parental 
oversight  and  instruction  on  his  part.  The  son  was 
sixteen  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  his  father's  death ; 
when  he  was  sent  to  Dr.  Ashworth's  academy  to  study 
for  the  ministry.  Letters  still  preserved  show,  that 
before  his  studies  were  completed  he  became  conscious 
the  ministry  was  not  the  office  to  which  he  was  called, 
and  relinquishing  his  early  prospects,  and  disappoint 
ing,  probably,  a  mother's  hope,  he  adopted  the  study 
of  the  law.  Miss  Doddridge  was  married  to  John 
Humphreys,  Esq.,  of  Tcwkesbury,  to  which  town  Mrs. 
Doddridge  retired  with  her  two  unmarried  daughters, 
Mary  and  Anna  Cecilia.  This  excellent  lady  lived 
to  a  good  old  age,  distinguished  by  noble  qualities  of 
mind  and  heart,  and  after  passing  through  fresh  do 
mestic  trials  in  her  last  days,  entered  her  everlasting 
rest  in  1790,  at  the  age  of  eighty- two.  Her  children 
seem  all  to  have  been  possessed  of  vigorous  minds, 
and  in  this  respect  to  have  inherited  their  mother's 
endowments ;  especially  Mary,  whose  mental  qualities 
were  evidently  of  a  very  superior  order.  She  died 
at  Bath  in  1809,  at  the  age  of  seventy-five." 

To  some  of  our  readers  it  may  be  gratifying  to 
read  the  following  lines,  written  by  the  Kev.  Dr. 
Leask  of  London  in  the  study  of  Doddridge,  in  1852, 
more  than  a  century  after  his  decease  : 

"This  is  true  reverence.    Honor  to  the  heart 
That  loves  the  relics  of  the  illustrious  dead ; 
And  blessings  on  the  hand  that  will  not  touch, 
Even  to  '  improve '  what  he  once  called  his  own ! 


480  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

So  let  it  be.     The  prophet's  table  stands 

Just  where  he  left  it ;  every  thing  remains 

In  undisturbed  simplicity  :  there  needs 

No  costly  monument ;  this  room  says  all : 

Here  PHILIP  DODDRIDGE  thought.     'T  is  lasting  fame. 

These  walls  are  sacred.     Often  have  they  felt 

The  holy  breath  of  prayer,  and  echoed  back 

To  the  devout  petitioner,  'Amen!' 

As  if  an  angel  whispered  the  response. 

And  angels  have  been  here,  the  witnesses 

Of  hallowed  meditation.    They  beheld 

I  The  rise  and  progress '  of  a  stream  of  thought 
Whose  living  energy  hath  prostrated 
Thousands  of  spirits  at  the  feet  of  Christ. 
Here  the  first  dawning  of  the  morning  found 
The  student  of  the  statute-book  of  heaven, 
With  loving  perseverance  tracing  out 

The  '  harmony '  of  God's  evangelists ; 

And  here  the  Lord  of  angels  oft  has  sent 

Deep  draughts  of  joy,  and  glorious  beams  of  hope, 

To  him  who  wrote,  while  love  inspired  the  pen, 

I 1  live  in  pleasure  while  I  live  to  thee.' 


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